IPL 8, KXIP vs CSK Highlights: Clinical Chennai Consolidate Top-spot by Beating Punjab
Chennai Super Kings consolidated their perch at the top of the Indian Premier League table with a seven wicket win over Kings XI Punjab at Mohali. Catch all the highlights of the match.
Chennai Super Kings firmed their grip on the top of the Indian Premier League table after they cruised to a seven wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab at Mohali. Chasing a modest 131 to win, the Super Kings reached the target with 19 deliveries to spare. Faf du Plessis notched up his sixth IPL fifty while Suresh Raina played a solid unbeaten hand of 41.
Earlier, Kings XI won the toss and elected to bat. The decision backfired as their top-order crumbled in front of a disciplined Chennai bowling. Pawan Negi picked up 2/25 while the others chipped in with economic contributions. The Super Kings were excellent in the field and except Axar Patel, non of the Punjab batsmen could find any joy against them.
Catch all the highlights of the match here (SCORECARD | STATS | STANDINGS)
(All time in IST)
1905: SIX more! Straight over long-off! Just one required now. And that's it! Top spot guaranteed for Chennai. Easy win, done brilliantly!
1904: SIX! How do you describe that shot from Dhoni? Shuffles outside off, jumps off the ground and then pulls/hook/ scoops the ball over fine leg!
19:00: FOUR! Short again and pulled away from Dhoni. Chennai now have a firm grip on the top spot - need 14 runs from 24 balls.
1855: FOUR! Short from Anureet and Dhoni pulls it to square leg. Chennai in complete control, 20 runs from 30 balls shouldn't be a problem for the men in yellow!
1849: BOWLED! Finally a wicket. Du Plessis (55) cleaned up by Rishi Dhawan by a good yorker. CSK 102/3 (13.3 overs)
1844: Sixth fifty for Faf du Plessis. Fantastic innings - calm and composed from the South African. Gets to it in just 36 balls. CSK 93/2 (12.2 overs)
1841: FOUR! Du Plessis going up a gear. Short and whacked through mid-wicket.
1840: SIX! Down the track come Du Plessis and lifts Axar over his head - hits the sight screen on the full.
1834: FOUR! Short from Axar and Du PLessis lifts it over mid-wicket. This is just meandering along. Chennai in cruise mode and Du Plessis and Raina are playing it really well - pushing the singles and hitting the odd boundary.
© BCCI
1827: Punjab look a little flat - no penetration, not much energy on the field. Super Kings are in control and shouldn't lose it from here - 67/2 after 9 overs.
1820: DROPPED! Maxwell drops Raina - mistimes it and that was an easy return catch!
1819: FOUR! Beautifully done by Du Plessis - no one at short fine leg and the South African just flicks it to the vacant fine-leg boundary.
1814: FOUR! Du Plessis now - charges down the track and slaps Dhawan to the fence.
1811: FOUR more! Too easy for Raina this - pitched short and easily dispatched. CSK 40/2 after 5 overs.
1809: FOUR! Raina down the track to Gurkeerat and whacks it over mid-on and then pulls out the sweep. Gentle off-spinners shouldn't be a problem for Raina.
1802: FOUR! Marginally short from Hendricks but Du Plessis stands up and punches it through the covers.
1800: FOUR! Classic drive from Raina - foot to the pitch of the ball. high elbow, steady head. Creamed through covers. Definitely not the start Chennai were looking for, two quick wickets. Raina and Du Plessis are in the middle but Raina too needs some runs under his belt. This IPL he hasn't been into his groove.
1757: BOWLED! This is a massive wicket - McCullum (6) knocked over by Hendricks. Big inside edge onto the stumps. CSK 10/2 (1.5 overs)
Stat Attack - 2015 has been McCullum's best season in the IPL. Runs - 436. Ave - 34.SR - 156. Previous best - 405 runs last season
1755: FOUR! McCullum down the track and top-edges one over third-man.
1750: OUT! Not a good start for Mr. Cricket. Excellent from Sandeep Sharma - angling the ball across the batsman and Hussey (1) edges it to Saha. CSK 2/1 (1st over)
1745: Here we go - all set for the chase. Mike Hussey's in the house along with Brendon McCullum. The Kiwi is playing his last IPL game of this season while Hussey is playing his first.
© BCCI
1726: SIX! Finally gets one out of the middle. Walks across his stumps and whacks Nehra over mid-wicket. That's it Punjab end their innings at 130/7. Axar Patel was the only man who tried to fuse some life into the Punjab innings, but the Chennai bowling was right on the mark and their fielding - top class! Punjab are good 30 runs short here and Chennai should ideally walk this chase.
Punjab may not have had much fun with the bat but off-field, they are quite happy - have a look at this video:
1721: OUT! Axar's (32) vigil ends. Fails to pick the slower one from Bravo, slashes out at it and Dhoni takes a dolly. KXIP 122/7 (19 overs)
1720: SIX! Rishi Dhawan picks up the slower from Bravo and swings hard. The ball lands over the ropes. Important runs for Punjab these. Dhoni isn't too impressed.
1718: SIX! Axar swings across the line and goes just over the ropes. Faf du Plessis with an audacious one handed effort diving effort but the ball just evades him.
. @faf1307's livewire effort #KXIPvsCSK #IPL https://t.co/ZYJ9lHevCf
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 16, 2015
1716: FOUR! Axar clears his front leg and whacks Jadeja over mid-on. KXIP 108/6 after 18 overs.
1712: The Punjab innings is meandering along. Dhoni won't mid this at all. The Punjab batsmen have wilted too soon and now, Axar and Rishi Dhawan are accumulating as much as they can.
© BCCI
1706: FOUR! Rishi Dhawan goes down on one knee and slog sweeps Negi over mid-wicket.
1702: FOUR! Axar comes down the track and hammers Raina over mid-wicket. Punjab need every run they can get now.
1657: OUT! Stunner from Jadeja sends Miller (11) back! What a catch that was? Miller just bolts that from the middle of the bat and Jadeja dives full length at deep square-leg. Negi gets a second wicket. KXIP 78/6 (13.5 overs)
. @imjadeja holds on to a brilliant catch #KXIPvsCSK #IPL https://t.co/FshM8LLWNx
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 16, 2015
1655: FOUR! Inside edge, doesn't matter - Punjab will take them all right now.
1650: FOUR! Reverse sweep didn't work for Maxwell but Miller middles it and it races to the point boundary.
1643: BOWLED! No Big Show tonight, Jadeja knocks Maxwell (6) over! Two missed reverse sweeps, something had to happen there. The ball just turned that bit more and Maxwell was opened up like a can of beans! KXIP 55/5 (9.5 overs)
1637: STUMPED! That was on the cards - big flight from Ashwin. Gukeerat (15) completely outfoxed - dances down the track, misses and Dhoni does the rest. KXIP 53/4 (8.3 overs)
© BCCI
1630: Just two runs from the over - Ashwin delivers a brilliant over, yet again. This man has become a better bowler since he has started concentrating on his off-spin - the carrom ball has become a rarity now.
1625: OUT! Vohra (4) holes out to Nehra at third-man off Pandey - Goes for the mighty heave and ends up slicing it. KXIP in trouble now. KXIP 35/3 (5.1 overs)
1622: FOUR! Stand and deliver from Maxwell - a touch short from Nehra, Maxwell swivels and thrashes it through deep mid-wicket.
1620: OUT! Bailey (12) done in by Nehra, first ball. Ball sliding across the batsman, edges and Dhoni takes a good low catch on his right. KXIP 31/2 (4.1 overs)
1614: FOUR! Short from Pandey and Bailey plays the pull rather a short arm jab past mid-wicket.
© PTI
1610: OUT! Saha (15) tries to go over cover and finds McCullum off Negi. KXIP 16/1 (2.2 overs)
1606: SIX! Short from Ishwar Pandey and Saha pulls it over square leg. 14/0 after 2 overs. This is also the last game for McCullum who flies to England to join his team for the upcoming Test series. So. Mike Hussey gets a go in the game.
16:02: FOUR! Dragged short and Saha goes over covers to get the first boundary of the game. End of first over, KXIP 5/0.
16:00: We're away - Pawan Negi to open the bowling for Super Kings.
1537: Here are the teams for the game -
CSK XI: B McCullum, M Hussey, S Raina, F du Plessis, MS Dhoni, R Jadeja, DJ Bravo, P Negi, R Ashwin, A Nehra, I Pandey
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 16, 2015
KXIP XI: M Vohra, W Saha, G Maxwell, G Bailey, D Miller, GM Singh, A Patel, R Dhawan, B Hendricks, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma #KXIPvCSK
- Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) May 16, 2015
1532: Toss time - Kings XI call correctly and opt to bat first. Big news - Mike Hussey gets his first game as Chennai rest Dwayne Smith.
© BCCI
While Chennai Super Kings have already qualified for the play-offs, MS Dhoni-led side will aim for a win in their final league before the start of the next phase of the tournament. Kings XI Punjab, who have just recorded three win in the season, will look to spoil Chennai's party.
Dhoni's side has struggled away from home, losing four out of their six away matches so far, and Punjab will certainly take confidence from that. Punjab will also have a chance of avenging their defeat at Chepauk.
Chennai have had a mixed season and players like Dwayne Smith, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and even Dhoni have been inconsistent. While Raina has failed to convert his starts, Jadeja has been the biggest flop for CSK.
© BCCI
Punjab, who had dropped Glenn Maxwell against Chennai in the first leg, will hope the Aussie reciprocates his last season's form and help them end the tournament on a happy note.
Kings XI were mauled by 97 runs by CSK in their previous encounter this season and going by past record and present form, Chennai will definitely start as overwhelming favourites.
STATS
- Dwayne Bravo is two wickets away from becoming first player to bag 100 wickets and score 1000 runs in the IPL history.