New Delhi: In the 53rd match of IPL 2020, Chennai Super Kings defeated Kings XI Punjab by 9 wickets in a one-sided match. With this defeat, Chennai also ended Punjab’s hopes of reaching the playoffs. Kings XI Punjab had to win this match at all costs to reach the playoffs but it did not happen. In this match played in Abu Dhabi, Kings XI Punjab scored 153 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs but Chennai easily achieved the target with 7 balls already. Rituraj Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 62 for Chennai, Duplessis also scored 48. Rayudu remained unbeaten on 30.
Chennai’s good batting
Chasing the target of 154 runs, Chennai Super Kings got off to a great start with their openers Rituraj Gaikwad and Faf Duplessis. Both the batsmen batted openly and scored 57 runs in the powerplay. Gaikwad and Duplessis shared a half-century in just 32 balls. The partnership was broken by Chris Jordan in the 10th over. Duplessis was dismissed for 48 off 34 balls. However, even after this, Gaikwad persevered at the crease and he scored his third consecutive half-century in 38 balls. Gaikwad shared an unbeaten 72 with Rayudu to lead his team to victory. Rayudu also scored an unbeaten 30 runs.
Punjab’s star flop
After losing the toss, Mayank Agarwal and skipper Lokesh Rahul got Punjab off to a great start. Mayank celebrated his return to the team by hitting two fours against Deepak Chahar. Captain Rahul hit an attractive six from above the point in the third over against this bowler. Rahul then welcomed Shardul Thakur in the fifth over with two fours in a row, but Ngidi gave Mayank the first victory over Bold Chennai in the next over. Mayank made 25 off 15 balls with the help of five fours and shared 48 runs for the first wicket.
Punjab’s score in the power play was 53 for one but after this the bowlers controlled the run flow and Punjab meanwhile lost the wickets of Rahul, Nicholas Puran and Chris Gayle. Ngidi bowled Rahul in the ninth over to end his 29-run innings off 27 balls, while Shardul caught Puran (two off six balls) in the 11th over at the hands of wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Chris Gayle (12 off 19 balls) who was running in a great rhythm also failed to play a big innings. He also lost the review after veteran Imran Tahir’s spin got in the way. At this point the team’s score was 72 for four in 11.5 overs. Mandeep Singh hit a four off Deepak Chahar’s first ball in the 14th over which was the team’s first boundary after seven overs.
Hooda’s excellent batting
Hooda then hit a brilliant six over the covers in the 16th over against Imran Tahir but Jadeja broke the 36-run partnership for the fifth wicket by bowling Mandeep (14) in the next over. Jimmy Neesham (2) was unable to walk but Hooda did not appear to be affected. He hit two sixes in this over of Ngidi. He completed his half-century in 26 balls with a run off the third ball of the 19th over. Hooda also hit a six in the last over of Ngidi. He also shared an unbroken 40-run stand with Jordan for the seventh wicket in which Jordan contributed just four runs. However, even Hooda’s good batting could not save Punjab.
