It was not a happy return as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper for MS Dhoni, as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) handed them an embarrassing eight-wicket defeat at Chepauk. With this loss, CSK have now hit a new low, having lost five games in a row for the first time in IPL history. KKR’s Sunil Narine was named Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance.
At the toss, when KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane opted to bowl first, Dhoni said that CSK were looking to bat first anyway. But as the innings progressed, it turned out to be a nightmare for them in front of the home crowd. They registered their lowest-ever total at Chepauk – 103/9 in 20 overs, with Shivam Dube top-scoring with an unbeaten 31 (29).
Despite being dropped by KKR fielders on several occasions, Vijay Shankar did not make the most of it and was out for 29 (21). No other batter managed to contribute significantly, and even Dhoni, batting at No. 9, failed against Narine, scoring just one. KKR’s spin trio of Moeen Ali (1), Narine (3), and Varun Chakravarthy (2) rattled the CSK batting line-up, along with two wickets from Harshit Rana and one from Vaibhav Arora.
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In reply, KKR got off to a flier, courtesy of their opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Narine. However, debutant Anshul Kamboj dismissed de Kock for 23 (16), as KKR lost their first wicket at 46 in 4.1 overs. Narine continued to dominate the bowlers, smashing 44 (18) at a strike rate of 244.44, including two fours and five sixes.
In the end, Rahane (20* off 17) and Rinku Singh (15* off 12) remained not out as KKR chased down the target in just 10.1 overs with eight wickets in hand. It was only their fourth IPL win at Chepauk over CSK, and with it, they boosted their net run rate significantly.
Also Read: Painful and pathetic – CSK’s batting sinks to new low