Chennai Super Kings got back to winning ways after defeating Kings XI Punjab by 22 runs in the Indian Premier League at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday.

CSK preserved its cent percent record at Chepauk, making it three victories on the trot. Faf du Plessis (54), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (37 not out) and Harbhajan Singh (two for 17) lifted the host to eight points after five encounters. Kings XI (six points), on contrary, suffered its second loss in the competition.

Batting first, Super Kings made 160 for three in its stipulated overs. Ravichandran Ashwin was the only wicket-taker for the away side, scalping three for 23. KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67) made fifties, but that wasn’t enough to get Kings XI (138 for five) past the line.

Du Plessis, who featured for the first time this season, made a case for himself by scoring an entertaining half-century upfront. The South African displaced Ambati Rayudu and stitched a 56-run stand with Shane Watson (26) for the first wicket. Du Plessis’ entertaining knock was laced with two boundaries and four sixes. After a quiet period in the opening stages, the pair punished pacer Andrew Tye in the penultimate powerplay over, pounding him for 18 runs.

The visitor clawed its way back into the contest when Ashwin struck the first blow, dismissing Watson, who holed out to Sam Curran at deep mid-wicket. Incoming batter Raina (17) combined with du Plessis and saw out the middle overs. The Ashwins (Ravichandran and Murugan) stemmed the run flow, with the former picking up a couple of wickets off his final over.

The local lad sent back du Plessis and Raina off successive deliveries in the 14th over. The opening bat hoisted one straight under the throat of long on and fieldsman David Miller made no mistake. The India international saw his stumps castled in the very next ball as he went across the line.

Rayudu (21 not out), who was demoted to the middle order, joined hands with skipper Dhoni for the finishing phase. The duo could only get a feel of the ball for about two overs, hardly finding the sweet spot. But come the 19th over, it was ready to get the party going.

MSD was in full force against Tye. He delivered three lusty hits (two boundaries and a six) and titled the tide in favour of the host. Super Kings finished in a flurry, smacking Mohammed Shami for a four and a maximum each in the final over. It collected 44 runs off the KXIP pace trio, which bowled the last three overs.   In the second innings, the home side got off to a dream start when Harbhajan struck twice in his first over, the second of the innings. Chris Gayle (5) edged one to Dhoni and Mayank Agarwal (0) tried to counter the off-spinner and threw his wicket away. The number three batsman danced down the wicket and picked out du Plessis at long-on.

Rahul and Sarfaraz steadied the ship for the away team, sharing a 110-run partnership for the third wicket. While Rahul stroked three fours and a solitary six, Sarfaraz’s knock included four boundaries and two sixes. As Rahul fell to Scott Kuggeleijn in the 18th over, the chase started to slip away from Ashwin’s men. KXIP eventually ended its innings at 138 for five, well short of the target.