Defending champions Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) losing streak continues as they lost their third match in a row in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Punjab Kings (PBKS) won the game by a big margin of 54 runs as Shivam Dube's whirlwind half-century went in vain. Liam Livingstone was adjudged 'player of the match' for his all-round shaw. Livingstone scored his maiden IPL fifty which was followed by the wickets of Dube and Dwayne Bravo in the 15th over.
Poor powerplay performance
Chasing 181, CSK suffered a major collapse. Ruturaj Gaikwad's drought of runs continued as he became Kagiso Rabada's first victim. Making his debut, fast bowler Vaibhav Arora got his maiden IPL wicket by getting rid of in-form Robin Uthappa. He inflicted more damage with the wicket of Moeen Ali in the fifth over. The England all-rounder got out for a two-ball duck.
Arshdeep Singh joined the party as well with the wicket of skipper Jadeja for a three-ball duck. Meanwhile, Ambati Rayudu took his time and tried to play himself in. Eventually, the pressure got to him and he was dismissed by Odean Smith for 21-ball 13. In the eighth over CSK were reduced 36/5 with required run rate going out of the grasp.
Dube keeps it going
Shivam Dube infused some life into the game with some sensational hitting. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni did not hit a single boundary till the 17th over. Dube kept CSK in the hunt with his 57-run knock. Agarwal handed the ball to Livingstone and he provided the major breakthrough which turned out to be the final nail in the coffin. The Englishman followed it up with the wicket of Dwayne Bravo with a brilliant catch off his own bowling.
Chahar wraps it up
The required run rate was too high for Dwaine Pretorius and Chris Jordan to bring CSK back in the game. In the 17th over Dhoni tried to make up for the barrage of dot balls but was dismissed by Rahul Chahar. The leg-spinner got rid of Pretorius and Jordan as well to wrap up CSK's innings. CSK were bundled out for 126 in 10 overs.
Livingstone changes the game
Batting first, PBKS suffered two major blows in space of eight deliveries. First, skipper Mayank Agarwal got out after scoring just one boundary. In the next over, in-form Bhanuka Rajapaksa got run out by Dhoni after a mix-up with opener Shikhar Dhawan. Livingstone targetted Mukesh Chaudhary in the powerplay overs. In the fifth over, the English batter hit him for two sixes and three fours. In the fifth over. In the sixth over, Dhawan joined the party as well with a couple of fours and one six. After the powerplay overs, PBKS were in good position with 72/2 on the board.
Livingstone struggled to get the strike turning. He reached his maiden IPL fifty with a six off Bravo in the 10th over. In the same over Dhawan departed. The opener scored 33 runs off 24 deliveries. In the next over skipper Jadeja got the wicket of Livingstone. The batting all-rounder scored 60 runs off 32 deliveries including five fours and as many sixes.
Disappointing finish
On debut Jitesh Sharma contributed with a 26-run cameo. Jitesh impressed many with three sixes in his short stay at the crease. At the other end, Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith got out for respective single-digit scores and wasted a few deliveries before the death overs. Rabada and Chahar's contributions of 12 each helped PBKS post 180/8 in the first innings.
