IPL 2018, KXIP vs CSK: Hits and Misses
After witnessing some brutal batting earlier in the day where more than 400 runs were scored across both innings, it was another run-fest at Mohali.
Put in to bat by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), KL Rahul along with comeback man Chris Gayle got Punjab off to a flying start. The duo scored 75 in the powerplay as Gayle announced his return in style.
After Rahul’s dismissal for 37, Mayank Agarwal and Yuvraj Singh played decent hands as they scored 30 and 20 respectively. However, a slew of wickets halted KXIP’s charge as they could only manage 82 runs in the last 10 overs but because of the blistering start, the hosts ended at 197/7.
Chasing a bog total, CSK lost two wickets inside the powerplay despite scoring 53. CSK then lost Sam Billings in the 7th over and were under pressure. But a third-wicket partnership between MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu brought CSK back in the game.
But some fielding brilliance (run out) by skipper Ravichandran Ashwin brought the downfall of Rayudu (making 49). But MS Dhoni (who scored 79) kept CSK in the game till the last over but his back problem and an excellent last over from Mohit Sharma denied CSK another come-from-behind victory.
#5 Hit: Imran Tahir
After not completing his fours overs in both games, in this game, Imran Tahir came into bowl with the score 75/0 after 6 overs. And as soon as he was introduced KL Rahul struck a boundary before he was smashed for a four and a six by a rampaging Chris Gayle. He gave away 17 runs in his first over.
However, the South African leggie came back superbly. He gave away 7 runs in his next over (which included a six) before dismissing Mayank Agarwal and Aaron Finch off successive deliveries in his third to bring CSK back in the game.
He first dismissed Agarwal with a conventional leg-spinner and then he foxed Finch with a very good wrong’un and trapped him LBW.
After a 17-run first over, Tahir finished with figures of 2/34 in his fours overs. In the process, he also picked up his 50th IPL wicket.