KKR vs CSK Review – Chennai thump Kolkata to move to the top of table
High-flying Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 49 runs in match 33 of the ongoing IPL 2023. In doing so, the yellow brigade registered their third win on the trot and fifth win of the season.
Nitish Rana, skipper of KKR, won the toss and elected to field first. What followed was a commanding start by the yellow outfit. The opening duo of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway got 59 runs in the six overs of the powerplay.
The pair combined to raise a 73-run stand which helped lay a solid foundation for the rest to capitalize upon. Following the dismissal of Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane joined the party and began his aggressive innings. Meanwhile, Conway notched up his fourth half-century in a row and was eventually dismissed for 56 runs.
Shivam Dube and Rahane took the rival bowling unit to the cleaners, dispatching the ball on numerous occasions. Rahane scored an unbeaten 71 whereas Dube got a quickfire 21-ball 50. CSK eventually concluded their innings with a massive score of 235 runs.
In reply, a disciplined CSK bowling unit got two wickets in under two overs of the chase and reduced KKR to 38/2 in the powerplay. Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer and skipper Nitish Rana tried to fire in tandem but failed to convert it into big scores. Thereby, getting dismissed for 20 and 27 runs respectively.
Down the order, Jason Roy carved out a breathtaking knock to help KKR claw their way back into the contest. The batter slammed the joint second-fastest fifty, getting it in mere 19 balls.
Despite this, CSK bounced back as Roy and Andre Russell were sent packing by Sri Lankan bowlers Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana. As the required run rate kept shooting up, Rinku Singh (53* off 33) tried to get the big runs but CSK eventually prevailed, winning by 49 runs.
Top performers from the match
Ajinkya Rahane: Rahane breathed fire as he unleashed his lethal best, hammering five maximums and six boundaries. Moreover, he remained unbeaten throughout his impressive knock. He concluded with 71* off 29 balls and a strike rate of 244.82.
Jason Roy: Roy’s blitzkrieg came at a point when KKR required someone to fire big and get them back into the chase. The English star batter hammered as many as five sixes and three boundaries to score a blazing half-century. He also raised a 65-run partnership with Rinku Singh to help his side fight hard during the chase. Eventually, Roy was dismissed for 61 runs off 26 balls by Maheesh Theekshana.
What’s next for both teams?
CSK next play RR on Thursday, April 27 in Jaipur. While KKR will head to Bengaluru where they will be up against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 26.
