Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL campaign continued to unravel as Chennai Super Kings secured a 32-run win on a two-paced surface, exposing flaws in both planning and execution.
Chasing 193, KKR were restricted to 160 for seven in 20 overs, losing wickets in clusters after a steady start. Left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmed proved decisive, returning figures of 3 for 21 and dismantling the middle order.
KKR were 79 for two at one stage but slipped to 90 for six as Noor removed Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh and Cameron Green in quick succession. His control on a pitch offering grip made scoring difficult.
Rahane scored 28 off 22 balls, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi made 27 off 19, but their 50-run stand came at a slow pace, leaving too much to be done later. Rovman Powell (31 off 22) and Ramandeep Singh (35 not out off 23) added late runs, but the target had already drifted out of reach.
Earlier, Chennai Super Kings posted 192 for five after a strong start in the powerplay, reaching 72 for two. Sanju Samson top-scored with 48 off 32 balls, while Ayush Mhatre made a quick 38 off 17.
Mhatre’s innings provided early momentum, featuring aggressive strokeplay, including two sixes off Cameron Green and a series of boundaries. Samson supported from the other end, though his innings was less fluent.
© instagram.com/kkridersAfter the powerplay, KKR’s spinners pulled things back. Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy and Varun Chakravarthy combined to concede just 68 runs in 10 overs while taking two wickets. Kartik Tyagi also impressed with two for 35, using pace variations effectively.
Dewald Brevis contributed 41 off 29 balls, while Sarfaraz Khan added 23 off 18 in a useful partnership during the middle overs.
Despite being slightly under par on a challenging surface, CSK’s bowling attack ensured the total was enough. Apart from Noor, Akeal Hosein bowled economically, while pacers Anshul Kamboj and Khaleel Ahmed removed Finn Allen and Narine early in the chase.
With this result, KKR have now lost four of their first five matches, while CSK registered their second win and regained momentum in the tournament.
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