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synopsis
IPL 2023: Chennai Super Kings outlasted Kolkata Knight Riders by 49 runs on Sunday, thanks to some prolific batting by Devon Conway, Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane, while the latter's batters had a tiring time chasing down 236.
It was another one-sided encounter between former four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 33 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday. Devon Conway, Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane were ruthless with the bat, as the visitors handed the hosts an improbable target of 236, with CSK trouncing KKR by 49 runs.
Winning the coin toss, Kolkata rightfully opted to bowl. However, Chennai openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (35) and Conway (56) put on 73 before the former was knocked over by leg-spinner Suyash Sharma in the eighth over. Then, Conway and Ajinkya Rahane (71*) added 36 for the second wicket, as the former struck his seventh IPL half-century before falling to leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy in the 13th.
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The fall of wickets did not bother the Super Kings, as Rahane and Shivam Dube (50) took control and added 85 for the third wicket. While the latter, too, brought up his fifth IPL 50 quickly, he had to depart in the 18th to pacer Kulwant Khejroliya. Thereon, Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja (18) added 38 more before the latter was sent packing by the same man in the final over.
Rahane brought up his 30th tournament half-century as CSK finished on a mega total of 235/4, the highest for the season and its most significant against KKR. Rahane's unbeaten innings gave him the best strike rate of the season (199.04). Khejroliya grabbed a couple for the Knight Riders, whereas Suyash was economical.
Before the hosts' chase, the visitors brought pacer Akash Singh for Ambati Rayudu. As was the case for them, they began on a jittery note, losing the openers N Jagadeesan (1) and Sunil Narine (0) for just one on the board by the PowerPlay (PP) second over. While KKR's IP Venkatesh Iyer (20), who replaced Suyash, and skipper Nitish Rana (27) added 45 for the third, the former was trapped leg-before by off-spinner Moeen in the eighth, followed by the latter to leg-spinner Jadeja in the ninth, at 70/4.
Ironically, Jason Roy (61) and Rinku Singh (53*) gave Chennai a momentary scare by putting on a 65-run partnership for the fifth wicket, while the former also came up with his third IPL 50 in just 19 deliveries. However, off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana broke the stand in the 15th by dismissing the Englishman.
Rinku and Andre Russell (9) tried hard. Still, they could add only 27 before the latter walked back to pacer Matheesha Pathirana in the 17th, at 162/6, as the target became far-fetched thereon, with KKR finishing on 180/8, falling short by 50 runs. At the same time, Rinku struck his second IPL half-century. For CSK, medium-pacer Tushar Deshpande and Theekshana grabbed a couple each, whereas Pathirana was economical as the side climbed atop the points table.
