Chennai Super Kings bounce back from two consecutive losses by convincingly defeating Kolkata Knight Riders, handing them their first loss of the season with a resounding 7-wicket victory and 14 balls to spare.
Chennai Super Kings bounced back from a two-game losing streak by handing Kolkata Knight Riders their first defeat of the season in a convincing victory. While chasing 138 runs, Chennai’s openers started strong, with Rachin Ravindra aggressive against Mitchell Starc. Ruturaj Gaikwad played a steady innings, supported by Daryl Mitchell’s brisk batting. Shivam Dube added some fireworks, but it was Gaikwad’s unbeaten 67 off 58 balls that secured victory for Chennai, maintaining their unbeaten home record.
Kolkata Knight Riders found themselves short of a competitive total and struggled to make an impact with the ball. While Mitchell Starc remained expensive, Vaibhav Arora provided some respite by claiming the first wicket. However, their spinners, including Anukul Roy and Varun Chakaravarthy, failed to make an impression, partly due to the dew and their inconsistent bowling. Despite Sunil Narine’s controlled spell yielding a wicket, Kolkata couldn’t contain Chennai’s batting onslaught.
Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s decision to bowl first proved wise as Chennai Super Kings gained an early breakthrough with Phil Salt’s dismissal off the first delivery. Despite Sunil Narine’s brief counter-attack alongside Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Kolkata Knight Riders struggled to build momentum against the bowling unit.
The introduction of Ravindra Jadeja tilted the scales in Chennai’s favor, causing a collapse in Kolkata’s batting order. While Shreyas Iyer provided resistance, the latter half saw a flurry of wickets, limiting Kolkata to 137 runs. Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, and Mustafizur Rahman excelled with multiple wickets, highlighting Chennai’s strong bowling display.
Last Updated on April 8, 2024
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