CSK returns to winning ways as they beat KXIP by 10 wickets

Dubai, Oct 5: Chennai Super Kings opening batsman Shane Watson on Saturday had tweeted "the perfect game for CSK is coming" and he really meant it as CSK broke the 3-match losing curse and returned back to winning the match displaying a spectacular performance. CSK beat Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) by ten wickets here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

 

 

 

In a surprise, KXIP elected to bat first and the openers Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul continued their good run of form who put 60 runs after eight overs. After the introduction of Piyush Chawla, CSK got their first breakthrough after he dismissed Mayank for 26. Gradually, Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Mandeep for 27. However, the sixes and fours did not stop as Pooran-Rahul went against the CSK bowlers, with Rahul completing his fifty.

 

Then came Shardul who struck on successive deliveries in the 18th over to dismiss the well-set batsmen KL Rahul and Pooran. Following their dismissals, Sarfaraz Khan and Glenn Maxwell then added 26 runs from 16 balls to help KXIP reach 178/4 in their quota of 20 overs.

 

 

Needing 179 runs to win, Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis, who were just fabulous, came out all guns blazing over the KXIP bowlers. With fours and sixes, both of them brought up their fifties in the 11th over as CSK marched past 110. While this was Faf’s third fifty from five games, for Watson, this was his first fifty-plus score in the IPL 2020.

 

The partnership continued as the duo completed 150-run stand for the opening wicket in the 16th over. In the 18th over, Faf-Watson brought up CSK’s highest opening partnership, surpassing Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay’s 159-run stand. In the 18th over, Faf hit a one-handed six and followed it up with a four as CSK sealed a ten-wicket win and broke their three-match losing streak.

 

This performance by CSK was by far their best shot in this IPL 2020. However, there are still minuses in the bowling department. On the other hand, the bowling section is also a concern for KXIP even raised by Mandeep Singh.

 

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