Right-arm pacer Deepak Chahar picked four wickets before Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) register an easy win over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match here at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday evening.
Chahar’s four wickets had helped CSK restrict Punjab Kings to a paltry 106/8. In response, CSK easily chased down the target with 26 balls to spare thanks to a quickfire 46 off 31 from Moeen. CSK defeated Punjab Kings by six wickets to open their account in the ongoing IPL. Chasing 107, CSK had a slow start as the side scored just eight runs in the first 18 balls with both openers trying to get into the groove in the initial overs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was seen struggling a bit, but Faf du Plessis eased the pressure with two fours and a six in the fourth over. Ruturaj’s stint came to end in the fifth over as he tried to pull Arshdeep Singh but top-edged the ball with Deepak Hooda making no mistake.
Moeen Ali, who then came into bat, started smashing right from the word go as CSK got a move on. In no time, CSK raced to 64/1 in 10 overs having scored just eight in the first 18 balls.
Du Plessis kept scoring at run a ball but Moeen continued his onslaught as CSK got almost home before he departed in the 13th over with just 17 runs more to win.
However, CSK did suffer further hiccups as they lost Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu in consecutive balls but Du Plessis and Sam Curran ensured the MS Dhoni-led side got over the line in the 16th over.
Earlier put in to bat first, Punjab Kings had a horrific start as the side lost four wickets within the powerplay. Chahar wreaked havoc as he sent back Punjab Kings’ top order except for skipper Rahul, who became the victim of Jadeja’s brilliant throw.
Chahar first cleaned up Mayank for a duck in the first over and then dismissed Gayle and Pooran within a span of six balls to reduce Punjab to 19/4 after Rahul’s run out.
Deepak Hooda and Shahrukh were in the middle for Punjab Kings at the end of the powerplay but the former chipped it straight to mid-off in the seventh over as Chahar bagged his fourth wicket for the day.
Shahrukh and Jhye Richardson then tried to revive the Punjab innings with a brief 31-run stand before Moeen Ali cleaned the Australian all-rounder in the 13th over.
But Shahrukh kept the scoreboard ticking and hit timely boundaries to release some pressure. Dwayne Bravo dismissed Murugan Ashwin in the 17th over but Shahrukh took Punjab Kings over the 100-run mark. Sam sent Shahrukh back in the hut in the final over as Punjab Kings were restricted to 106/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
