Chennai Super Kings lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by an embarrassing eight wickets on Friday.
For the first time in their illustrious Indian Premier League history, the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings lost three straight games at their beloved home field of Chepauk, falling to the Kolkata Knight Riders by an embarrassing eight wickets on Friday. The five-time winners put on yet another poor batting display as they lost for the fifth game in a row this season after being thoroughly destroyed by a ruthless KKR team. With the victory, CSK held onto ninth place in the points table, while KKR surged to third. Nicholas Pooran of the Lucknow Super Giants still holds the Orange Cap with 288 points. Noor Ahmad of CSK is the leading wicket-taker and Purple Cap holder with 12 scalps. When regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined for the rest of the IPL due to injury, the renowned Dhoni took over as captain, and the team’s performance was poor.
When Dhoni entered the game at number nine, he only scored one run off of four balls before being removed in the sixteenth over.
As KKR delivered a clinical bowling display, a totally bewildered CSK was invited to bat but could only muster a pitiful 103 for nine, their lowest total at Chepauk.
It was the lowest IPL total by any team thus far in this edition and the third-lowest by CSK.Opening batsman Sunil Narine bludgeoned his way to an 18-ball 44 that included two fours and five sixes as KKR cantered home in 10.1 overs, needing to chase a meager 104 for victory.
Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, also contributed with a strong 20 not out off 17 balls, and the other opener, Quinton de Kock, added 23. Similarly, Rinku Singh was still in at 15 off 12 balls.
In the first over itself, Narine hit Khaleel Ahmed with a six, and when the runs flowed in, de Kock followed suit with Anshul Kamboj. After that, De Kock gave Ahmed two sixes as punishment.
Former India spinner R Ashwin was smashed for a six and a four in the fourth over by Narine, who did not spare him.After powerplay overs, KKR reached 71 for 1, but Rahane, who was one down, did not offer the CSK bowlers any reprieve after De Kock fell in the fifth over.
After powerplay, KKR only needed 33 runs, and despite losing Narine in the ninth over, they easily reached the goal.
In the eleventh over, Rinku Singh struck a six off Ravindra Jadeja to cap off the chase in spectacular fashion.
Prior to CSK being asked to bat, Narine (3/13) claimed three wickets, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana each claimed two. Only nine boundaries (4 or 6) could be struck by CSK in the entire innings, thus nothing went well for them at home.Vijay Shankar made 29 after leading a privileged life, while Shivam Dube top-scored with an undefeated 31 off 29 balls. Just two other CSK hitters scored ten or more runs.
As they struck 31 for the loss of two wickets, the second-lowest total by any side in six overs this season, CSK’s powerplay problems persisted. With Shankar hitting back-to-back fours off Chakaravarthy in the sixth over, it could have been much lower.In the fourth over, Moeen Ali got rid of Devon Conway (12), and in the fifth over, Rana got rid of Rachin Ravindra (4). If Narine hadn’t dropped Shankar in the fifth over after failing to hold onto a sitter at mid-off, the home team would have been three down during powerplay.
CSK was at 61 for 3 at the midway point when Shankar’s luck finally ran out in the tenth over when he holed out to Moeen.
