Gaekwad and Jadeja star as Chennai hands Kolkata first defeat in IPL
Published: 10:59 am Apr 09, 2024
CHENNAI, APRIL 8
Chennai Super Kings handed Kolkata Knight Riders their first defeat after captain Ruturaj Gaekwad finished what Ravindra Jadeja started in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Jadeja strangled the batting power of Kolkata to 137-9 with 3-18 in the middle overs, and Gaekwad cruised Chennai to 141-3 in 17.4 overs for their third home win.
Gaekwad, who had only 88 runs in the previous four games, scored an unbeaten 67 off 58 balls and marshalled the chase with a 70-run second wicket stand with Daryl Mitchell, who made 25.
Mitchell was clean bowled by Sunil Narine, but impact substitute Shivam Dube clubbed three sixes and a boundary in his quickfire 28 off 18 balls.
The thumping seven-wicket win lifted Chennai among the top four with three wins in five games.
Kolkata couldn't capitalize on a blazing power play of 56-1 by Narine and Raghuvanshi after Phil Salt was out to a catch first ball off fast bowler Tushar Deshpande.
Narine smashed two sixes and three boundaries in a 20-ball 27 and Raghuvanshi made an 18-ball 24 before Jadeja claimed their wickets among three in his first eight balls.
Gaekwad's plan to turn back to his seamers in the death overs worked well as Kolkata lost four wickets for just 28 runs in the last four overs.
Mustafizur Rahman claimed both of his wickets in the last over when his cutters conceded only two runs, while Deshpande finished with 3-33.