IPL 2021: Top 3 bowling performances in KKR vs CSK matches
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 15th match of IPL 2021. After playing three games in Chennai, KKR are all set to feature in their first match of the tournament at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
KKR began their IPL 2021 campaign by beating a below-par Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team by ten runs in their tournament opener. In their next two matches, though, they have been lacklustre, going down to Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Meanwhile, CSK got thumped by Delhi Capitals (DC) by seven wickets in their first match. Since then, they have trounced Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in successive games.
CSK hold a 15-9 head-to-head advantage over KKR. Last year, CSK and KKR split their two meetings. With KKR and CSK set to renew acquaintances tonight, let's take a look at three memorable bowling performances in games between the two teams over the years.
#3 Deepak Chahar (CSK) 3 for 20 - IPL 2019 (in Chennai)
Medium-pacer Deepak Chahar is an unsung hero of CSK. He has delivered a number of match-winning spells for his team but has rarely been in the limelight. One of his memorable performances came against KKR in Chennai in IPL 2019.
CSK bowled first after winning the toss, and Chahar backed his captain’s decision by picking up 3 for 20 in his four overs. The CSK pacer struck in the first over itself, sending back Chris Lynn for a duck. The KKR opener was trapped lbw by a straight delivery as he played across the line.
Chahar also took out Nitish Rana, the KKR left-hander toe-ending a pull to midwicket. The batting team’s woes worsened when Rohit Uthappa (11) miscued a slower short ball towards deep square leg. Chahar’s magic left KKR reeling at 24 for 4.
Harbhajan Singh (2-15) and Imran Tahir (2-21) joined in as CSK strangled KKR and restricted them to 108 for 9. Andre Russell was the lone warrior for KKR with an unbeaten 50. CSK chased down the target with seven wickets in hand, with Faf du Plessis compiling an unbeaten 43 off 45 balls.
#2 Brad Hogg (KKR) 4 for 29 - IPL 2015 (in Kolkata)
At 44, former Australian left-arm wrist-spinner Brad Hogg played a match-winning role for KKR with figures of 4 for 29 against CSK in Kolkata in IPL 2015. KKR bowled first after winning the toss, and Hogg spun a web around the CSK batsmen.
Hogg scalped the big wicket of Brendon McCullum (32 off 12), who was taking the KKR attack to the cleaners. The left-arm spinner trapped McCullum lbw with a flat delivery on the stumps, which the batsman missed.
Faf du Plessis (20) also fell to the guile of Hogg. He was beaten by a wrong’ un and ended up getting stumped. Ravindra Jadeja (24) swept the bowler to deep midwicket as Hogg picked up his third. Pawan Negi (27) was then cleaned up by a quicker and flatter one that beat him for pace.
Hogg’s brilliance kept CSK down to 165 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs, with no batsman making a mark against him. Two rollicking knocks then took KKR to an emphatic seven-wicket victory. Robin Uthappa was unbeaten on 80 off 58, while Andre Russell struck an unbeaten 55 off 32 balls.
#1 Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) 4 for 12 - IPL 2014 (in Ranchi)
Ravindra Jadeja produced an excellent spell of left-arm spin bowling to help CSK defend a target of 149 against KKR in an IPL 2014 game in Ranchi. Jadeja picked up four wickets in his four overs, giving away only 12 runs, as CSK strangled KKR by 34 runs.
Jadeja got a wicket with his first ball of the innings when Manish Pandey (1) played to cover. The spinner made it two in two when Shakib Al Hasan slogged his first ball straight into the hands of deep midwicket.
Suryakumar Yadav (8) was then trapped lbw on the sweep, while Robin Uthappa (47) guided a reverse sweep to MS Dhoni, who pouched a simple catch. Uthappa’s wicket left KKR reeling at 88 for 6. Despite Yusuf Pathan’s 29-ball 41, KKR only managed 114 for 9.
In a match that was reduced to 17 overs per side, CSK’s total of 148 for 3 featured a 40-ball 56 from Brendon McCullum and 31 off 25 balls by Suresh Raina. In the wake of Jadeja’s brilliance with the ball, that total proved more than handy.