Vivo IPL 2021 KKR vs CSK: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beats Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 18 runs, moves up in the points table.
Vivo IPL 2021: Andree Russell and Pat Cummins quickfire half-century go in vain as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beats Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 18 runs in a high scoring thriller at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. KKR was bowled out for 202 with five balls to spear as CSK registers its third win in the four games and moves up in the points table.
KKR won the toss and invited CSK to bat first. Both the sides made changes in the final11, CSK brought in Lungi Ngidi for Dwayne Bravo while KKR left out Shakib Al Hasan and Harbhajan Singh for Sunil Narine and Kamlesh Nagarkoti.
Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis finally blasted the opening stand after three odd games. The faith shown by the franchise on the young man has proved as Gaikwad smacked blistering 64 runs in 42 balls.
Both CSK opener produced a solid opening partnership as they crossed 115 runs before the dismissal of Ruturaj Gaikwad as the first wicket. Speedster Varun Chakravarthy broke the opening stand in the 13th over.
Moeen Ali from the other end coming to bat at number 3 scored 12 balls 25 runs as he put KKR bowlers under pressure. The all-rounder looked to come down the track to hit Narine over the fence but was stumped by Dinesh Karthik.
MS Dhoni entered the ground at number four played some vintage Dhoni shots and accelerated the total as he scored 8 balls 17 before getting out.
However, Faf du Plessis was doing his work from the other end. He remained unbeaten at 95 from 60 deliveries as he powered CSK to 220 runs in 20 overs. He hit nine boundaries and four towering sixes on his unbeaten 95.
Du Plessis was given the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his sensational betting display.
In the pursuit of the mammoth total at Wankhede Stadium, KKR top-order batsmen failed to score good runs as they were reduced to 31-5 inside the powerplays. Deepak Chahar in his first four overs accounted for the four wickets while Lungi Ngidi picked one to send half of the KKR unit back.
However, Dinesh Karthik, Andree Russell brought back KKR in the game. Russell started to hit the CSK bowlers and completed his half-century in the 12th over. He amassed 54 from 22 deliveries while Dinesh Karthik also produced a solid fightback as he scored 40 from 24.
Australian bowler Pat Cummins late power-hitting kept the KKR nerves in the game and looked in complete control to win it for his team however he was short of the mates at the other end.
Cummins remained unbeaten on 66 from 34 deliveries with the help of six towering sixes and four boundaries. Prasidh Krishna was run out in the first delivery of the last over as KKR lost the game by 18 runs.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with the win topped the points table with 6 points in four game and a net run rate of +1.142.
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