Ambati Rayudu batting against PBKS. Pic: IPLT20.COM
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 11 runs in yesterday’s IPL match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Put into bat after losing the toss, Punjab scored an impressive 187 for 4 as Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 88* off 59. In response, Chennai were restricted to 176 for 6. Ambati Rayudu scored an excellent 78 off 39 balls. However, Kagiso Rabada (2/23) and Arshdeep Singh (1/23) were exceptional at the death to lift PBKS to victory.
Chasing 188, Chennai stumbled in the powerplay, reaching 33 for 2 after six overs. Robin Uthappa (1) fell cheaply, top-edging a heave off Sandeep Sharma. Mitchell Santner, who again came in at No. 3, looked in no rhythm at all during his stay at the crease. He made 9 off 15 and was bowled by Arshdeep as he shuffled across his stumps and completely missed his flick.
CSK were in further trouble when Shivam Dube (8) dragged a delivery from Rishi Dhawan back onto his stumps. Rayudu came in and gave a push to the innings by striking some well-timed boundaries.
Chennai’s hopes, however, suffered a massive setback as Ruturaj Gaikwad perished for 30 off 27 while trying to take on Rabada. Rayudu kept going and raced to a fifty off 28 balls by launching leggie Rahul Chahar for a maximum over midwicket.
With 70 needed off the last five overs, Rayudu clobbered Sandeep Sharma for three consecutive sixes to various parts of the Wankhede Stadium. He then charged down the track and slapped the last ball towards wide long-on for four. 23 came off the 16th over, leaving CSK to get 47 in the last four.
Arshdeep and Rabada bowled two excellent overs, finding the yorkers at will, to put Punjab back on top. With the boundaries drying up, a tired Rayudu perished to Rabada. A brilliant yorker ricocheted off his pads and crashed into leg stump. Another superb over by Arshdeep, the penultimate one of the match, meant CSK needed 27 off the last six balls.
MS Dhoni launched the first ball from Rishi Dhawan over backward square leg for a maximum. However, the task was too much even for MSD this time. He miscued a leg-side delivery and was caught at deep midwicket for 12 off 8.
Dhawan hammers 88* as PBKS post 187/4 against CSK
Shikhar Dhawan during his match-winning knock against CSK. Pic: IPLT20.COM
Opener Dhawan smashed 88* off 59 balls as Punjab scored 187 for 4 after being sent into bat by Chennai. The left-hander struck nine fours and two sixes during his impressive knock and added 110 for the second wicket with Bhanuka Rajapaksa (42 off 32). During the course of his knock, Dhawan also became the second player in the history of IPL to score 6000 runs.
PBKS got off to a slow start in the powerplay, perhaps mindful of their batting collapses in the last two games. Skipper Mayank Agarwal looked out of touch and perished for 18 off 21, hitting a carrom ball from Maheesh Theekshana to backward point. Rajapaksa was dropped twice at the start of his innings, but could never quite get going despite spending a lot of time at the crease.
With the run rate needing a lift, Dhawan took on Mukesh Choudhary and smacked him for three fours in the 12th over. Rajapaksa joined in by lofting a wide full-toss from Dwaine Pretorius over long-off. In the same over, Dhawan swept the bowler for four to bring up his fifty. He struck a few more much-needed boundaries to give PBKS’ innings some momentum.
The second-wicket stand was broken when Rajapaksa miscued a slower ball from Dwayne Bravo to extra-cover. The wicket proved to be a blessing in disguise as Liam Livingstone came in and smacked Pretorius for 4, 6, 6 in the penultimate over. Dhawan scooped the last ball over short fine leg for four as 22 came off the over.
Bravo sent back Livingstone with the first ball of the last over. However, Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow hit a six and a four respectively to push PBKS to an impressive total.
IPL 2022, PBKS vs CSK: Who won Man of the Match yesterday?
Dhawan was brilliant for Punjab with the bat. After the team got off to a slow start, he made it a point to lift the run rate and guide PBKS to an impressive total. Rabada and Arshdeep stood out with the ball. While the South African pacer got the wickets of Gaikwad and Rayudu, Arshdeep sent back Santner. Both bowlers combined to choke Chennai in the death overs.
For CSK, Rayudu battled hard with the willow. He smashed seven fours and six sixes in his valiant knock to give the team hope after they got off to a poor start.
Dhawan was named the Player of the Match for his fantastic knock.
