Punjab Kings (PBKS) suffered a late scare but their batters came through against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to secure a close four-wicket win at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, April 30. Riding on Devon Conway's brilliant unbeaten 92, and the final two sixes off MS Dhoni's bat, CSK scored 200 but a brilliant batting display, with Sikandar Raza hitting the final runs, helped PBKS to what seemed like an unlikely win.
Keeping up with the run rate
It was a very close run chase throughout the innings, as PBKS stayed in touch with the required run rate. With a tough target of 201 to chase down, the onus was on their batters, who did extremely well in the end. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan (28) and his opening partner Prabhsimran Singh (42) took the openers to the cleaners, but CSK did get the wickets early in their innings.
England dominance
After young gun Atharva Taide was dismissed when trying to accelerate during his innings of 13 off 17 runs, the English duo of Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran found crucial form for their team. Livingstone hit 4 sixes and a four in his innings of 40 runs from 24 balls at a strike rate of 166.66 runs.
The wicket of Livingstone and then Sam Curran (29) were very important for CSK and lifted the spirits at Chepauk but then Jitesh Sharma and Shahrukh Khan entered the fray to tilt the tide against their opponents once more.
Death over drama
However, Deshpande once more effected an important wicket to send Jitesh (21) back to the pavilion. It was a brilliant catch taken by Shaik Rasheed on the boundary line, which looked like a six but was well kept within the boundary.
The responsibility of the final over once again fell to Matheesha Pathirana but much like the whole of the season. Pathirana did very well to concede just five runs in five balls while defending nine, but in the end, Zimbabwean Sikandar Raza found the sweet spot and took three runs, as well as the victory from Chennai's grasp.
Conway conquers again
Earlier, Opting to bat first, Conway smashed 16 fours and a six during his 52-ball knock, setting up an 86-run partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad (37) for the first wicket. Eventually, Gaikwad fell against the run of play, stepping out of his crease to a Sikandar Raza delivery but was eventually stumped by Jitesh Sharma for 37.
Another in-form batter Shivam Dube has pushed up the order as started his innings with two big sixes, including one off Rabada. He added 44 runs off 26 balls with Conway to help enable the Super Kings to up the ante.
Dhoni's heroics
But Dube fell while trying to go for a big hit only to be caught by Shahrukh Khan in the deep off Arshdeep Singh's bowling.
The most excitement, however, came in the final two balls of the innings with MS Dhoni on the crease. He walked in at the fall of Ravindra Jadeja (12) to a massive roar from the crowd but could not connect the first ball he faced from Sam Curran and picked up a single from the next delivery, thumping one down the ground.
One delivery later, Dhoni smashed the ball for a six from a wide delivery and then smacked a full toss for a maximum to finish on 13 not out as CSK finished the innings in style.
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