IPL 2021, PBKS v CSK: 5 interesting stats to emerge from Match 8
The Chennai Super Kings opened their account on the IPL 2021 Points Table with a magnificent performance against the Punjab Kings. Deepak Chahar's four-wicket haul laid the platform for the Chennai-based franchise's victory.
Despite Shahrukh Khan's fighting knock, the Punjab Kings could only reach 106/8 in their 20 overs. A patient knock of 36 runs from Faf du Plessis and a 31-ball 46 from Moeen Ali ensured the Super Kings cruised to victory with six wickets and 26 balls to spare.
Kl Rahul's side had a forgettable day at the office. On the other hand, MS Dhoni's team has improved their position on the standings. Here are the top five interesting stats to emerge from IPL 2021 fixture between PBKS and CSK.
5. CSK's Deepak Chahar records his best bowling figures in IPL
While Deepak Chahar has a six-wicket haul to his name in T20 international cricket, he had never claimed a four-wicket haul in IPL. Heading into the IPL 2021 fixture versus the Punjab Kings, Chahar's best bowling figures were 3/15.
However, he broke that record tonight by dismissing four top-order batsmen of the Punjab Kings lineup. He opened his account with Mayank Agarwal's wicket on the fourth delivery. Soon after, the right-arm pacer scalped the wickets of Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda and Nicholas Pooran to reduce the Punjab Kings to 26/5.
4. MS Dhoni becomes the first player to represent CSK 200 times in T20 cricket
When MS Dhoni walked out for the toss at Wankhede Stadium tonight, he made history by becoming the first cricketer to play 200 matches for the Chennai Super Kings. It was his 206th appearance in the IPL, but 30 of them had come for the Rising Pune Supergiant team.
Dhoni also played 24 matches for the Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League T20 tournament. Tonight, he donned the CSK jersey for the 176th time in the IPL, marking his 200th appearance for the franchise in T20 cricket.
3. Punjab Kings become the third team to lose 15 times to the Chennai Super Kings
The Chennai Super Kings have been one of the most dominant franchises in IPL history. Although they could not finish in the Top 4 last year, the MS Dhoni-led outfit always made it to the second round in the previous ten IPL tournaments which they played.
CSK have a magnificent head-to-head record against almost all IPL teams, and one of them is Punjab. Tonight was the 15th occasion that the Punjab Kings lost a match to the Chennai Super Kings. They joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Capitals in the club of franchises with 15 or more losses against CSK.
2. Ambati Rayudu records his 13th duck in IPL
Ambati Rayudu has joined his former Mumbai Indians teammates Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh and Parthiv Patel in the group of batsmen with 13 ducks in the IPL. Another former Mumbai Indians batsman, Ajinkya Rahane, has 13 IPL ducks to his name.
These five batsmen now jointly hold the record for the most ducks by a player in IPL history. Four of the five names are a part of IPL 2021, and if any of them loses their wicket before opening their account again, that player will become the first to record 14 ducks in the IPL.
1. Nicholas Pooran achieves a dubious feat in IPL 2021
So far, there have been 13 seasons of IPL, with IPL 2021 being the 14th one. However, no batsman had ever recorded a 1st ball duck in his 1st match and a 2nd ball duck in his 2nd match of an IPL season before Nicholas Pooran.
The Caribbean wicket-keeper batsman has had a forgettable season so far. First, Chris Morris dismissed him for a golden duck in PBKS' IPL 2021 opener, and tonight, Deepak Chahar picked up Pooran's wicket on the second ball he faced.
While multiple batsmen have recorded consecutive ducks in IPL, none of them had the coincidence of getting out on the 1st ball in the first match and on the 2nd ball in the second game.
The deliveries were not excellent, but Pooran's shot selection was not up to the mark. With Dawid Malan warming the benches, Pooran will have to fire soon to retain his spot in the Punjab Kings playing XI.