Once again, Chennai Super Kings have faced a significant setback. Last year, in Chepauk, which is considered the fortress of Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings chased down a score of over 200 runs in a day game.
On Wednesday, once again, Punjab Kings outplayed Chennai Super Kings, first restricting them to 163 runs and then chasing down the target quite comfortably.
What’s remarkable is that while Chennai Super Kings have won the IPL title five times, Punjab Kings have never clinched the title. However, in their last five encounters, Punjab has been dominant against Chennai.
From a batting perspective, it was quite an odd match for Chennai Super Kings. While they had a good start with 51 runs in 6 overs without losing any wickets, their momentum slowed down afterwards.
Even thoug Ruturaj Gaikwad stood there a scored a half century but all-around it was tacky attempt to stabilize the innings. None of Chennai batters managed to hit a boundary in their innings, spanning 56 deliveries.
Harshal Patel conceded 12 runs in one over, followed by Sam Curran giving away 20 runs in another over. It seemed Chennai might reach a score of 175, but a remarkable stroke played by Sam Curran changed the course of the match.
Rahul Chahar, who had been inconsistent in previous matches, bowled brilliantly, giving away only 16 runs in his four overs and taking two crucial wickets.
However, the real twist came when Sam Curran convinced Rahul Chahar to bowl the 19th over. It was a bold gamble, facing the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Moeen Ali.
But Chahar delivered, conceding just three runs and taking the important wicket of Moeen Ali. From there, the match slipped into Punjab’s hands. Even Dhoni couldn’t perform exceptionally and got out for the first time in this IPL season.
In the chase, Punjab Kings easily chased down the target of 163 runs. Jonny Bairstow played a quickfire innings of 46 runs off 30 deliveries, supported by Rilee Rousseau’s 43 runs off 23 balls.
With some contributions from captain Sam Karan and the explosive Shashank Singh, Punjab secured victory in just 18 overs.
Overall, it was a stunning performance by Punjab Kings, displaying their dominance over Chennai Super Kings and asserting their position as strong contenders in the IPL.
