IPL 2020, CSK v KKR: Who won yesterday's match?
A shoddy batting display towards the final few overs of the 21st match of IPL 2020 saw the Chennai Super Kings throwing away a chance to register an important win against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Needing to chase 168 to win their third match of the IPL 2020 season, CSK failed to make the most of a good platform laid out by Shane Watson (40-ball 50) and Ambati Rayudu (27-ball 30), and succumbed to a 10-run loss against the Knight Riders.
CSK lost Faf du Plessis (10-ball 17) in the 4th over of the chase, before Watson and Rayudu stitched a handy 69-run stand to steady the ship. However, both of them were removed within six deliveries, leaving MS Dhoni and Sam Curran to get 67 runs off the remaining 47 balls.
It took two overs post Watson's dismissal for CSK to collect their first boundary, with Curran slamming a six and then a four off the 16th over bowled by Sunil Narine.
However, in the next over, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy's googly did just enough to sneak under an attempted slog from MS Dhoni, sending the CSK skipper back to the pavilion for a 12-ball 11.
With 41 runs needed off the last 21 balls, Kedar Jadhav found it extremely hard to time the ball and played out too many dot balls for his liking - five of the first six balls he faced yielded no runs.
The 19th over bowled by Narine fetched CSK 10 runs, and with 26 runs needed off the final six balls, CSK still fancied their chances with Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease.
However, Jadhav's struggles continued in the final over as he scored only a single on the third ball of the over. And, despite a six and two fours off the last three balls from Jadeja's blade, it was all a little too late as KKR celebrated well-planned out win.
Rahul Tripathi makes merry at the top of the order
KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik won the toss and opted to bat first, and there was a change at the top of the order for the Knight Riders. Rahul Tripathi walked out to bat alongside Shubman Gill, and the former looked ultra positive right from the first ball.
Tripathi raced away to an 18-ball 31 at the end of the powerplay and donned the aggressor's role, despite losing his partner Shubman Gill (11) in the 5th over. However, apart from Tripathi's good show with the bat and a mini cameo from Narine - who came in at No.4 - there was nothing to drive home about throughout KKR's innings.
Nitish Rana (9) was removed courtesy of a magical relay catch between Ravindra Jadeja and Faf du Plessis, while Eoin Morgan (10-ball 7) and Andre Russell (4-ball 2) were sent back to the hut in the space of two overs.
Dinesh Karthik and Pat Cummins did manage to pick up a couple of boundaries towards the fag end, but in the end, Tripathi's 51-ball 81 was the only innings of substance as KKR were skittled out for 167 from their 20 overs.
IPL 2020: CSK v KKR, Who won man of the match yesterday?
There was a change in personnel at the top of the order for KKR today, with Rahul Tripathi replacing Sunil Narine. The move paid rich dividends as the right-hander was at his fluent best, playing a wide array of strokes to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Tripathi brought up his half-century off 31 balls with a slash through the point region for four, and he continued to carry on from their, eventually finishing with a 51-ball 81 laced with eight fours and three sixes.
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The opener's form at the top helped KKR to 167 from their 20 overs, a total which proved enough to keep CSK within reach of the target. And, for his efforts with the bat, Rahul Tripathi was named as the Man of the Match in yesterday's IPL match.