Ravindra Jadeja set it up with a miserly spell of 4-0-18-3 before skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad shepherded the chase with a fine unbeaten half-century (67, 58b, 9×4) to help Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets at the MAC Stadium in Chennai on Monday.
After electing to field, the CSK spin attack came to the fore on a typical slow Chepauk pitch where the ball gripped off the surface to restrict Knight Riders to 137 for nine.
In reply, Gaikwad showed his class, playing some delectable shots through the off-side as he got his first half-century of the season.
CSK vs KKR Highlights IPL 2024
Rachin Ravindra gave the team initial momentum, smashing Mitchell Starc for three boundaries in the third over. The CSK skipper then joined the party when he hit left-arm spinner Anukul Roy for three boundaries, two superb inside-out cover drives sandwiched between a delicate cut behind point.
Daryl Mitchell took down Sunil Narine for a six down the ground, followed by a reverse sweep to the off-side fence, and his 70-run stand with Gaikwad for the second wicket ensured the host was on track to win easily. With heavy dew playing a part, Knight Riders’ spinners couldn’t get the breakthrough they yearned.
Earlier, the host started on the right note when Tushar Deshpande (three for 33) removed Phil Salt off the first ball of the innings, caught at backward point.
However, Narine (27) continued to bat uninhibited as he and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (24) went after the Super Kings quicks in the PowerPlay to help their side reach 50 in five overs.
But Jadeja pulled things back in the seventh over with twin strikes. The all-rounder had Raghuvanshi trapped leg-before while attempting a reverse sweep and then removed Narine, caught at long-off.
When Jadeja had Venkatesh Iyer mistiming a slog to midwicket in his next over, the Kolkata side slumped from 56 for one to 64 for four.
Later, the pacers, led by Mustafizur Rahman (two for 22), backed up the spinners by effectively using cutters in the death overs, keeping the power-packed Knight Riders batting line-up silent.
Once Deshpande got the dangerous Rinku Singh and Andre Russell through a clever change of pace, the visitor had to settle for a below-par total, which was not enough to avoid its first defeat.
