Chennai Super Kings won their 13th match of this IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders in Dubai on Thursday. While it did not help them much, it made KKR’s qualification chances lesser. Batting first Kolkata Knight Riders set a target of 173 which was chased down by Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings despite few hiccups.
Nitish Rana saves
It was an average display of batting from most of the Kolkata Knight Riders batsmen. Thankfully Nitish Rana stayed there for long to score a gritty 87 off 61 deliveries with 10 fours and four maximums and that eventually helped his side put a score of 172/5 on board. On his 350th T20 appearance Sunil Narine once again failed to make an impact and was dismissed for mere seven runs.
Mr. @NitishRana_27 was at his striking best today against CSK!
Will his innings be the game changer for KKR? #Dream11IPL #KKRvsCSK #KKR #CSK #rana #cricketnews pic.twitter.com/IDTlapx0UE
— Cricket News (@cricketnews_com) October 29, 2020
This was Narine’s 5th single-digit score in eight innings in IPL 2020; however, he has been decent with the ball. The second-best score came from Shubman Gill at the top who added 26 runs in 17 balls before becoming the first prey of CSK bowlers.
Ruturaj Gaikwad rises
The chase was mostly on track from the very beginning for Chennai Super Kings and the credit goes it Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ambati Rayudu. Both stitched together 68 runs after the dismissal of Shane Watson in the 8th over of CSK innings. Watson could add only 14 runs in the partnership with Gaikwad who continued to play the most important role during the entire chase. Rayudu scored 20-ball 38 runs and since his dismissal, it was mainly Ruturaj Gaikwad who kept the momentum on for CSK.
RUTU-RAJ in Dubai! #Dream11IPL #KKRvsCSK #KKR #CSK #Ruturaj #cricketnews pic.twitter.com/cbAq07gS4v
— Cricket News (@cricketnews_com) October 29, 2020
Once Gaikwad was gone for 72 runs off 53 deliveries, Ravindra Jadeja took the onus of taking the side to the finishing line. The all-rounder Jadeja remained not out with 11-ball 31 to complete the game in favor of CSK in the last over.
Chakravarthy impresses, again
While Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers hardly made any mark, Varun Chakravarthy once again stole the show. He took two wickets for 20 runs in his four overs. Chakravarthy, at first scalped the wicket of Shane Watson to provide the initial blow and then returned to take the wicket of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Source: Twitter (IPL)
He recorded his name to the history of IPL as became only the 6th bowler to dismiss Dhoni twice in a single edition of the Indian Premier League. Moreover, in IPL 2020 this was the first such instance.