IPL 2019: CSK vs KXIP, Who said What: World reacts as Chennai Super Kings top points table

Chennai Super Kings are back on top! (Image courtesy: IPLT20/BCCI)

For the first time in IPL, Chennai-born Ravichandran Ashwin was playing against his previous franchise Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram stadium. R Ashwin was excellent with the ball picking up 3 wickets for just 23 runs but ended up on the losing side.

CSK opened their innings with Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis, who was playing his first match of the tournament. The two experienced campaigners added 56 for the first wicket before Watson was dismissed by Ashwin for 26 (24 balls, 3*4, 1*6).

Even after losing his partner, Faf went onto accumulate more runs and ended up scoring a fine half-century. For the second wicket, he added 44 runs with Suresh Raina but both Faf (54, 38 balls, 2*4, 4*6) and Raina departed off consecutive balls in the 14th over bowled by Ashwin.

The two quick wickets reduced the scoring rate quite a bit but MS Dhoni (37, 23 balls, 4*4, 1*6) and Ambati Rayudu (21, 15 balls, 1*4, 1*6) scored at a quick pace to take CSK to a total of 160 for 3 in 20 overs. In the last three overs, they scored as many as 44 runs providing their side with the much-needed impetus.

During the chase, Harbhajan Singh sent back Kings XI Punjab's batsmen Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal in the second over of the game. As a result, Sarfaraz Khan joined KL Rahul in the middle.

Rahul (55, 47 balls, 3*4, 1*6) and Sarfaraz (67, 59 balls, 4*4, 2*6) scored half-centuries but their strike rates were 117.02 and 113.56 respectively. The two right-handed batsmen failed to shift gears and as a result, the required run rate went out of reach.

In the end, CSK won the match by 22 runs and are at the top of the points table with 4 wins in 5 matches.

Here's how the World reacted to CSK's win over KXIP:

Harsha Bhogle:

The news for chasing teams is that because Russell can, doesn't mean you can.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 6, 2019

Well as Rahul and Sarfaraz batted, they have ended up losing the game for #KingsXI. Had to go after spin once set.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 6, 2019

Akash Chopra:

It’s not long before teams start ‘retiring out’ batsmen if they are going too slow....happening very often this #IPL #CSKvKXIP
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 6, 2019

Hemang Badani:

Kings XI Punjab Choke Slammed by Dhoni &. Company. The Option of 3 Spinners vs 2 did the trick. It baffles me that Ashwin who knows the place and the surface well still went with only two #CSKvKXIP
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) April 6, 2019

Ayaz Menon:

Superb defence of par score by CSK. Spinners immaculate and economical, fast bowlers who went for plenty at the start, redeemed thenselves at the ‘death’. Most impressive was the approach: composed, confident, calculated. As if they always believed they would win. And did!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 6, 2019

Deep Dasgupta:

Phenomenol 19th over from Deepak Chahar after the first 2 nightmarish deliveries #CSKvKXIP
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) April 6, 2019

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