IPL 2019, KKR vs CSK: CSK extend lead at the top with five-wicket win at Eden Gardens
Chennai Super Kings recorded their seventh win of the season by beating Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets at the Eden Gardens.
Chennai Super Kings nullified a strong start from Kolkata Knight Riders led by Chris Lynn to secure their seventh win of the season. It also helped them take a six-point lead at the top of the table. KKR batted first and set a target of 162 although they looked set for a total much bigger than that before the 15th over. CSK chased it down with five wickets and two balls to spare.
While his opening partner Sunil Narine did not last long, Chris Lynn went about dismantling the CSK attack from ball one. He scored his second fifty of the season off just 36 balls and got to a personal milestone of 1000 runs in the IPL. (AP Photo)
Lynn's onslaught made it look like KKR were set for a 200-plus total. But Imran Tahir's 15th over saw the fall of Lynn and Andre Russell. Those were his third and fourth wickets of the match after which CSK restricted KKR to 161/8. (AP Photo)
CSK’s openers may not have stuck around for as long as Lynn did but they packed a punch. Faf du Plessis, who took four catches during the KKR innings, hit four consecutive fours off Andre Russell in the third over of the match. Shane Watson was dismissed off the first ball of the next and Du Plessis fell to Narine in the sixth. (AP Photo)
Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla then built pressure on the for the next three overs by stifling CSK for runs.The pressure paid off with Ambati Rayudu falling to Chawla while attempting a drive that he couldn't keep down. Kedar Jadhav then came in and gave the run rate a boost, smashing three fours and a six before falling to Chawla. (AP Photo)
MS Dhoni took his place and, together with Suresh Raina who had come into the middle when Watson was dismissed, chipped away at the deficit. Narine then dismissed Dhoni in the 16th over but Jadeja and Raina then ensured that CSK don't lose any momentum from that blow. (PTI Photo)
They would smash 24 runs off the last last 10 balls to take CSK over the line. Raina ended the match unbeaten on 58 off 42 while Jadeja was on 31 off 17. (PTI Photo)
