PBKS thrashes CSK by six wickets as KKR beats RR by 86 runs

KATHMANDU, October 8: Captain KL Rahul set the stage on fire with the bat as Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in Match 53 of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The right-hander hammered an unbeaten 98 off 42 balls, hitting 7 fours and 8 sixes, as PBKS, who needed 135 runs to win, chased down the target in 13 overs.

In the chase, PBKS were quick off the blocks in the chase as captain KL Rahul cut loose and powered his side to 42/0 after 4 overs, scoring 33 off those runs in 15 balls.

However, Shardul Thakur’s double-wicket over helped CSK see the back of Mayank Agarwal and Sarfaraz Khan.

Rahul though continued to target CSK bowlers and went on to complete a sensational 25-ball fifty. While PBKS lost Shahrukh Khan in the ninth over, Rahul continued making merry, playing some jaw-dropping shots.

The PBKS captain added 46 runs with Aiden Markram before the South African got out in the 13th over. However, Rahul finished things off in style, creaming a six, and took PBKS home.

Earlier, CSK, who were put into bat, remained unchanged, while PBKS brought in Chris Jordan in place of Nicholas Pooran.

PBKS kept things tight with the ball and were rewarded with the wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad as Arshdeep Singh struck in the fourth over. Arshdeep and PBKS scalped the second CSK wicket in the powerplay as Moeen Ali got out in the sixth over.

Jordan then picked two wickets in his first two overs as Harpreet Brar and Arshdeep took two excellent catches to get Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu out to reduce CSK to 42/4.

In the 12th over, after being hit for a four, Ravi Bishnoi dismissed MS Dhoni as CSK lost their fifth wicket with 61 runs on the board.

While the wickets continued to fall at the other end, Faf du Plessis stayed put and continued to do a fine job with the ball after Dhoni’s dismissal. The right-hander was joined by Ravindra Jadeja in the middle and the pair did a fine rebuilding job for CSK, adding 67 runs together.

The pair kept the scorecard ticking and made sure CSK approached a respectable total. While Faf completed a well-compiled half-century in the 18th over, CSK also moved past hundred in the same over as du Plessis creamed two fours to finish the over.

du Plessis then tonked two sixes and a four in the next two overs before getting out in the final over after scoring a vital 76. However, his fine hand with the bat guided CSK to 134/6.

Likewise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ran riot with the ball and beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 54 of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in Sharjah on the same day.

Put into bat, KKR posted 171/4 and then bowled out RR for 85 to register their seventh win of the season. While young Shivam Mavi scalped four wickets, Lockie Ferguson picked three wickets as KKR marched towards the victory.

KKR made early inroads with the ball as Shakib Al Hasan and Shivam Mavi struck in their respective first overs. While Shakib dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mavi had the better of Sanju Samson.

Fergsuon then bowled a double-wicket fourth over, dismissing Liam Livingstone and Anuj Rawat to reduce RR to 13/4. KKR continued to chip away as Mavi, in the eight over, scalped the wickets of Glenn Phillips and Shivam Dube.

In the ninth over, RR lost their wicket, with only 35 runs on the board as Varun Chakaravarthy got Chris Morris out LBW.

While Rahul Tewatia showed some fight & scored 44, KKR bowled RR out for 85 to bag two points.  

Earlier, batting first, KKR made a watchful and solid start as the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer laid a foundation with a 76-run stand.

Tewatia then provided RR a much-needed breakthrough as he dismissed Iyer for 38 in the 11th over. While Nitish Rana was quick to get off the blocks, he got in the next over.

Rahul Tripathi then joined Gill, who brought up his second successive fifty, in the middle. The two added 41 runs together before Gill, after scoring 56, was dismissed by Chris Morris.

Tripathi fell soon after as Chetan Sakariya disturbed the timber to scalp his first wicket of the match. Captain Eoin Morgan and wicket keeper Dinesh Karthik then put on an unbroken 26-run stand as KKR posted a formidable 171/4 total on the board.