Chennai Super Kings were back to their winning ways with a 22-run win against Kings XI Punjab in an IPL 2019 match at home. Skipper MS Dhoni's played a crucial role with the bat but it was some good work with the ball by veteran Harbhajan Singh and debutant pacer Scott Scott Kuggeleijn that swung the game CSK's way despite a 100-run stand by KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan for KXIP. Get highlights of the CSK vs KXIP match here
In the final balance sheet, the unbeaten 60-run fourth wicket partnership between MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu made the difference. KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan fought back well with their 100-plus stand for KXIP but clever bowling in the death overs by Scott Kuggeleijn and Deepak Chahar clinched it for Chennai Super Kings.
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19:40: Game, set and match to CSK. Brilliant over from Kuggeleijn. He got Sarfaraz Khan out for 67 (59 balls) and controlled the final over. KXIP finish at 138 for five in their 20 overs. CSK win by 22 and go to the top of the IPL 2019 table for now.
19:30: Fine over by Chahar. Clever use of the slower delivery and Miller's big wicket. KXIP 135/4 and need 26 off the last six balls. A CSK win looks likely.
David Miller gone, KXIP need 26 off 6 balls
19:23: KXIP need 39 off 12 balls. It's not going to be easy. David Miller has a boundary off 2 balls and Sarfaraz is on 56
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19:20: Kuggeleijn gets his maiden IPL wicket and KL Rahul holes out to Jadeja at mid-wicket. It's 117/3 after 17.3 overs. David Miller comes in
Raul scored an impressive 55 off 47. It came after KXIP were reduced to 7 for 2.
19:13: Harbhajan Singh completes his quota of 4 overs and finishes with impressive figures of 2 for 17. KL Rahul completes his 50 too and a 100-run stand with Sarfaraz Khan keeps KXIP on course. At the end of the 16th over, it's 110/2. 51 off 24 needed.
19:10: Sarfaraz Khan scores his maiden IPL 50 and KL Rahul is just three runs away as KXIP keep their chase alive. After 15 overs, KXIP 105 for 2. Need 56 off 30 balls.
19:00: KXIP are 96 for 2 wickets and need 65 from 42 balls. This is very much possible with the way Sarfaraz (47) and KL Rahul (42) are batting on a slow wicket. CSK bank on Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir now.
18:47: After 10 overs, KXIP 71 for 2 wickets. CSK were 71 for 1. With some batting still to come, this match is definitely not over. KL Rahul and Sarfaraz are settling down. 75 for 2 after 11 overs.
18:41: A fifty-run stand between KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan steadies KXIP. Jadeja's second over produces 12 runs and KXIP are 67 for two wickets after nine overs. Rahul 34 and Sarfaraz 27. But the asking rate has mounted to close to 9!
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18:33: KXIP 49 for two after seven overs. Ravindra Jadeja's first over produces only three runs. This is going to be the most difficult phase for the batsmen. And CSK have several slow bowlers in their ranks. Imran Tahir joins the attack too.
18:25: The first real attacking strokes come off KL Rahul's blade. A pulled six and a four at fine-leg helps KXIP get Deepak Chahar's third over. KXIP: 35 for 2 after five overs. Rahul: 23* Sarfaraz 6*
18:20: KXIP are 19 for two wickets after four overs. The two early wickets have put Rahul and Sarfaraz under a lot of pressure.
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18:13: Double blow for Kings XI Punjab. They lose the dangerous Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal. Harbhajan Singh strikes with his fourth ball. It's looping and spinning away from the big man. He slogs and gets a fine touch and Dhoni makes no mistake. Mayank Agarwal wants to hit out the veteran spinner and only manages to find Faf du Plessis. KXIP 7/2 after two overs. Sarfaraz Khan joins KL Rahul
Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings: 160 for three in 20 overs. Watson 26, Du Plessis 54, Dhoni 37 not out, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/23)
17:43: A poor last over by Mohammed Shami. Both Dhoni and Rayudu take advantage and force the pace with 14 runs in the 20th over. The duo produced 60 runs off 40 balls for the fourth wicket and Chennai Super Kings will be happy with 160 for three wickets on this slow MA Chidambaram wicket. Run rate: 8.00
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17:40: A big six and back-to-back fours off Curran by MS Dhoni bring some cheer to CSK fans. Chennai Super Kings are 146/3 after 19 overs. Dhoni 31 off 20 balls. Curran ends his quota. 4-0-35-0.
Last two overs have produced 30 runs.
17:32: Chennai Super Kings 128/3 after 18 overs. Rayudu 12, Dhoni 14.
17:27: CSK 116 for three after 17 overs. Sam Curran bowls a nice tight over. The wicket is just too slow. Stroke-making is not easy. Dhoni and Rayudu need to produce some magic.
17:16: CSK are 108 for three after 15 overs. Rayudu on 7, Dhoni on 1. CSK will need at least 150 on board.
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17:07: Ravichandran Ashwin takes out Du Plessis and Suresh Raina off successive balls. CSK slump to 100 for three wickets. At the end of the 14th over 101/3. MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu at the crease.
16:54: The wicket is slow and Murugan Ashwin is doing a good job with his leg spins -- 12 runs off three overs. CSK 78/1 after 11 overs
16:50: CSK are 71/1 after 10 overs. Ashwin and Ashwin have put the brakes on the momentum but Tye has been wayward. Du Plessis is on 34 and Raina batting on 9
16:39: Ravichandran Ashwin strikes. Shane Watson holes out at deep mid-wicket. Curran takes a good catch with the sun in his eyes. CSK 56/1. Watson 26 off 24 balls with three fours and a six. Suresh Raina comes in.
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16:37: Good over by Murugan Ashwin. Only one run in the seventh over. CSK 55 for no loss
16:30: CSK are 54 for no loss after six overs. Watson survives a caught and bowled chance off Sam Curran when on 22.
16:25: Watson punished Andrew Tye for a four and a six and the CSK innings is racing. Du Plessis matching Watson shot for shot and clubs Tye for a six at long on. 18 off this over. CSK are 49 for no loss. Watson 21* Du Plessis 25*
16:17: CSK innings picks up pace. KXIP rotate bowlers. Hattrick-hero Sam Curran into the attack but Watson is forcing the pace. Du Plessis hits the first six off Shami. Chennai Super Kings 29/0 after four overs
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16:10: Ashwin bowls the second over. Six off the over. Watson hits the first boundary, a sweep at square leg. CSK 10/0
16:04: Quiet start by CSK. Not a lot of pace and bounce in the wicket. CSK 4/0 after 1st over
16:00: Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis to open CSK batting. Mohammed Shami to start for KXIP.
It's a hot and humid afternoon and players will be stretched.
15: 54: In last year's matches, Chennai Super Kings defeated Kings XI Punjab by 5 wickets at Pune; Kings XI Punjab beat Chennai Super Kings by 4 runs at Mohali
15:52: Emotional return for Ravichandran Ashwin to Chennai. This is the first IPL clash between Ashwin and MS Dhoni. They were CSK teammates for eight years before they split. Who will win today? Follow live cricket score of CSK vs KXIP here
15:38: Here are the playing XIs. CSK have made quite a few changes. Mohit, Bravo, and Shardul are out. Faf du Plessis, Harbhajan and Kuggeleijn come in.
Chennai Super Kings: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Scott Kuggeleijn, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir
Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, Mandeep Singh, David Miller, Sam Curran, R Ashwin, M Ashwin, Andrew Tye, Mohammed Shami
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15:30: Chennai Super Kings win the toss and decide to bat first. Kings XI Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin says he also wanted to bat first. The wicket looks hard and full of runs. Chris Gayle is back in KXIP Playing XI
Chris Gayle, who missed the match against Delhi Capitals, is likely to return to the Kings XI Punjab squad. The West Indian will be key to KXIP's start against a CSK attack that variety and of course, plenty of Twenty20 wisdom. KXIP, with three wins in four matches, are looking well balanced as a team with Sam Curran's ability to keep the ball in the right areas in the death giving them a definite edge.
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CSK will be without their veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo. He is out for two weeks with a hamstring injury but MS Dhoni has bigger worries. Ambati Rayudu's failure at top of the order has somewhat set the acceleration back for Chennai Super Kings. With scores of 28, 5, 1 and 0, Rayudu has also harmed his 2019 Cricket World Cup chances as many saw him as a contender for the No. 4 spot.
MS Dhoni has always believed in his trusted men like Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Kedar Jadhav. It will be interesting to see his choice of foreigners with Faf du Plessis and Sam Billings waiting in the wings to join Shane Watson in the playing XI.
