Chennai Super Kings on Friday suffered a humiliating eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders, as the MS Dhoni-led side, for the first time, lost three matches in a row at their hallowed home ground of Chepauk in their proud Indian Premier League history. It was yet another dismal batting performance by the five-time champions, who were completely dismantled by a clinical KKR side, slumping to their fifth straight loss of the season. With the win, KKR jumped to third in the points table, while CSK remained at the ninth spot. Lucknow Super Giants’ Nicholas Pooran continues to hold the Orange Cap with a tally of 288. CSK’s Noor Ahmad, with 12 scalps, is the highest wicket-taker and holds the Purple Cap.
The disappointing showing came in a match where the legendary Dhoni took charge of the team after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remainder of the IPL due to injury.
Dhoni managed just one run off four balls before being dismissed in the 16th over, having come in to bat at number nine.
Invited to bat, a completely disoriented CSK could manage only a paltry 103 for nine, their lowest total at Chepauk, as KKR dished out a clinical bowling show.
It was CSK’s third lowest total in the IPL and the lowest by any team in this edition so far.
Chasing a paltry 104 for a win, KKR cantered home in 10.1 overs with opener Sunil Narine bludgeoning his way to a 18-ball 44 studded with two fours and five sixes.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane also played his part with a solid 20 not out off 17 balls, while Quinton de Kock, the other opener, contributed 23. Rinku Singh also remained not out on 15 off 12 balls.
Narine greeted Khaleel Ahmed with a six in the first over itself before de Kock did the same to Anshul Kamboj as runs came pouring. De Kock then punished Ahmed with two sixes.
Narine did not spare former India spinner R Ashwin, hitting him for a six and a four in the fourth over.
De Kock fell in the fifth over but one-down Rahane did not give any respite to the CSK bowlers as KKR reached 71 for 1 after powerplay overs.
KKR needed just 33 runs after powerplay and they lost Narine in the eighth over but achieved the target without any fuss.
Rinku Singh finished the chase in style, hitting a six off Ravindra Jadeja in the 11th over.
Earlier, Narine (3/13) grabbed three wickets, while Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy got two each after CSK were invited to bat. Nothing went right for CSK in their home ground as they could hit just nine boundaries (4 or 6) in the entire innings.
Shivam Dube top-scored with an unbeaten 31 off 29 balls, while Vijay Shankar made 29 after living a charmed life. Only two other CSK batters made runs in double-digit figures.
CSK’s powerplay woes continued as they made 31 for the loss of two wickets, the second lowest by any team in six overs this season. It could have been much lower but for the 13 runs scored in the sixth over with back-to-back fours from Shankar off Chakaravarthy.
Moeen Ali removed Devon Conway (12) in the fourth over, while Rana got the wicket of Rachin Ravindra (4) in the fifth. The home side would have been three down during powerplay had Narine not dropped Shankar in the fifth over, failing to hold on to a sitter at mid-off.
Shankar’s luck finally ran out in the 10th over as he holed out to Moeen, leaving CSK at 61 for 3 at the halfway stage.
Wickets continued to tumble as the struggling Rahul Tripathi (22) was clean-bowled by Narine, Ravichandran Ashwin was out for one run from seven balls and Ravindra Jadeja (0) also lasted just two balls. The home side were 71 for 6 at that stage.
After Deepak Hooda (0) fell in the next over, Dhoni came out to bat with CSK at 72 for 7 in 14.2 overs.
The writing was on the wall for CSK and the Chepauk crowd fell silent when Dhoni was adjudged LBW off Narine. Dhoni opted for a review, seemingly indicating there was bat involved, but the decision stood.
More than four overs were left after Dhoni’s departure and CSK went past the 100-run mark, thanks mainly to Dube.
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