Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Punjab Kings with an all-rounded performance clinched a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on Wednesday in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
After Lucknow Super Giants breached Chepauk, CSK's fortress was breached for the second time in the ongoing season as CSK bowlers struggled to find their rhythm with dew majorly hindering them throughout the night.
Deepak Chahar got injured after bowling just two deliveries in the opening over of the second innings.
Despite enduring an early injury blow, CSK managed to strike in the powerplay with Richard Gleeson removing Prabhsimran Singh (13) and taking his maiden IPL wicket.
Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw took the game away from CSK with a 64-run stand. Shivam Dube was called in to bowl and he delivered by breaking the partnership.
Bairstow (46) attempted to play the ball between the keeper and the slip. However, he didn't find the ideal replacement or the connection and ended up sending MS Dhoni behind the stumps.
Shardul Thakur raised hopes of an unprecedented comeback as high-flying Rossouw chopped the ball into the stumps and departed for 43.
Stand-in skipper Sam Curran (25*) and Shashank Singh (26*) forged an unbeaten 50-run stand to clinch a 7-wicket win for PBKS.
Earlier in the innings, put to bat first, CSK batters failed to gather runs in the beginning. However, the openers recovered well as Ruturaj Gaikwad hit a four on the third ball of Arshdeep Singh's over, collecting up 10 runs.
The openers Ajinkya Rahane and Gaikwad slammed Arshdeep for 14 runs while hammering PBKS stand-in captain Sam Curran for 18 runs with the help of four boundaries.
CSK ended the powerplay at 55/0. In the 9th over, Harpreet Brar gave CSK two big blows as he removed Rahane and Shivam Dube, conceding just 3 runs.
CSK's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was removed by Rahul Chahar for just two runs. In the 15th over, Harshal Patel started with five wides as he bowled a horrible delivery down the leg side that ran away for a four as well.
In the 16th over, Rabada removed Sameer Rizvi for 21. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad raced to his half-century in 44 balls with a cracking six, gathering 20 runs.
After getting slammed for six and four, Arshdeep Singh removed Gaikwad for 62. Chahar in the 19th over removed Moeen Ali for 15 runs.
Chennai crowd welcomed their favourite player MS Dhoni with a loud shout as the legendary wicketkeeper-batter came out and slammed a boundary off extra cover and hammered a six, taking CSK's total to 162/7 in 20 overs.
Brief score: Chennai Super Kings 162/7 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 62, Ajinkya Rahane 29; Rahul Chahar 2-16) vs Punjab Kings 163/3 (Jonny Bairstow 46, Rilee Rossouw 43; Richard Gleeson 1-30).