Brief Scores from PBKS vs CSK, IPL 2021: Punjab Kings 106/8 in 20 overs (Shahrukh Khan 47; Deepak Chahar 4/13, Sam Curran 1/12)
Chennai Super Kings 107/4 in 15.4 overs (Moeen Ali 46; Mohammed Shami 2/21, Arshdeep Singh 1/7)
The wait for the maiden win of the season finishes for MS Dhoni & Co. as they beat Punjab Kings by 6 wickets, courtesy of an impeccable bowling attack in the first innings spearheaded by Deepak Chahar (4/13), who grabbed his best figures in the tournament.
Winning the toss and opting to bowl first on a flat wicket like Wankhede reaped dividends for CSK as they bundled out the top four opposition batters within the powerplay to shift the match entirely in their favor.
The situation worsened for Punjab post the dismissal of their last match hero, Deepak Hooda, on merely 10 runs during his stay on the crease, bringing their scorecard to 26/5 in 6.2 overs. The only positive for the KL Rahul-captained side was the explosive middle-order batter from Chennai, Shahrukh Khan, who emerged as the top scorer with 36-ball 47 to power Punjab over 100 runs.
Chennai had a shaky start to their innings, as they lost the wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) in the 5th over, and at the later stages, the likes of Moeen Ali (46), Suresh Raina (8) and Ambati Rayudu (0), but drove their way to their maiden galore the back of a gritty knock from Faf du Plessis (36*).
Here are the talking points from PBKS vs CSK match at Wankhede Stadium –
Deepak Chahar’s 4/13 rattles Punjab’s lineup
A night to remember for the Indian pacer who wreaked havoc on an in-form Punjab lineup and left them unsettled throughout the course of the first innings.
Opening the bowling attack for CSK, Chahar uprooted Mayank Agarwal (0) on a full-length delivery that swung just enough to click the top of the off-stump.
In the 3rd over, Chahar bowled an incoming delivery to Chris Gayle that got a bit of an edge from his willow, startled KL Rahul on the runners up, offering just enough time to Ravindra Jadeja to come up with a bullet-arm throw at the striker’s end that got the better of Rahul by few inches.
Chahar then struck gold in the 5th over, dismissing the likes of Chris Gayle (10) and Nicholas Pooran (0) in a span of few deliveries, a move that completely annihilated Punjab’s batters from laying a competitive total.
Chahar, bowling his final over, bowled an away delivery to Deepak Hooda that chipped straight into the hands of Faf du Plessis seated at mid-off. The 28-year-old eventually finished with a maiden wicket and a career-best figure of 4-1-13-4.
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Shahrukh Khan – The Lone Warrior from Punjab
Indeed, it was a disappointing show from Punjab who had scored in excess of 220 in the last outing. However, one of the batters who was anticipated highly to rise on such occasions post the auctions, Shahrukh Khan, came up with a well-fought 47 to guide them to a 100-plus total.
Batting at No 6 when their side was already reduced to 19/4 in 4.4 overs, Shahrukh registered one of his stellar knocks in his career to date. And although this knock from Shahrukh has come in a losing cause, it certainly showcased his ability to counter-attack under immense pressure.
The right-hander, known for his finishing abilities in the limited-overs contests at the domestic level, struck 4 fours and 2 sixes while maintaining a strike rate of 130-plus, and forged partnerships with Jhye Richardson (31), Murugan Ashwin (30) and finally Mohammed Shami (14), before being dismissed on a short delivery by Sam Curran outside off-stump in the final over.
Moeen, Du Plessis wrap up the chase
Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) had a forgettable day with the willow, as he was dismissed for another low total this season. With the side needing partnerships to keep the scoreboard ticking and deny Punjab to add pressure at any stage of the duel, Moeen played another pivotal knock for CSK this season, adding 46 runs studded with 7 fours and a six, to the 66-run stand for the second wicket alongside Faf du Plessis.
With 18 runs needed off 46 deliveries, Moeen fell short to Murugan Ashwin on a googly, which was followed by the dismissals of Suresh Raina (8) and Ambati Rayudu on consecutive deliveries to Mohammed Shami in the 15th over.
In the 15th over, Du Plessis took a single of Riley Meredith and allowed Sam Curran to wrap the innings with a pull that raced for a four thereby sealing CSK’s first win of IPL 2021.
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