IPL 2025: Sunil Narine and bowlers shine as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk

A wonderful bowling performance by Sunil Narine and KKR bowlers who set the pressure over CSK batters from the beginning as Kolkata Knight Riders gets a commanding victory over Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets at MA Chidamabaram stadium, here on Friday.

New Delhi: A wonderful bowling performance by Sunil Narine and KKR bowlers who set the pressure over CSK batters from the beginning as Kolkata Knight Riders gets a commanding victory over Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets at MA Chidamabaram stadium, here on Friday.

It was yet another disappointing batting performance by the five-time champions, who were thoroughly outplayed by a clinical Kolkata Knight Riders side, suffering their fifth consecutive defeat of the season. The poor display came in a match where the iconic Dhoni stepped in as captain after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out for the remainder of the IPL due to injury.

Dhoni managed only one run from four balls before being dismissed in the 16th over after coming in to bat at number nine. Asked to bat first, a completely unsettled CSK could only muster a meager 103/9, their lowest total at Chepauk, as KKR delivered a disciplined bowling performance.

This was CSK’s third lowest total in IPL history and the lowest by any team in this edition. Chasing a modest target of 104, KKR cruised to victory in just 10.1 overs, with opener Sunil Narine smashing a rapid 44 off 18 balls, including two fours and five sixes.

Captain Ajinkya Rahane contributed a steady 20* off 17 balls, while Quinton de Kock added 23. Rinku Singh also remained unbeaten on 15 from 12 balls. Narine launched Khaleel Ahmed for a six in the first over, and de Kock followed up with a six off Anshul Kamboj as the runs started to flow. De Kock then took two sixes off Ahmed.

Narine kept up the assault, hitting R Ashwin for a six and a four in the fourth over. De Kock was dismissed in the fifth over, but Rahane continued the onslaught, ensuring KKR reached 71/1 after the powerplay. KKR required just 33 more runs after the powerplay and although they lost Narine in the eighth over, they completed the chase with ease. Rinku Singh sealed the win in style, hitting a six off Ravindra Jadeja in the 11th over.

Earlier, Narine (3/13) was the standout bowler, with Harshit Rana (2/16) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/22) taking two wickets each after CSK were put in to bat. Nothing went right for CSK as they could only manage nine boundaries (fours or sixes) throughout the innings.

Shivam Dube was the top scorer for CSK with an unbeaten 31 off 29 balls, while Vijay Shankar made 29 after a fortunate innings. Only two other CSK players reached double figures.

CSK’s struggles in the powerplay continued as they limped to 31/2, the second-lowest score by any team in the first six overs this season. It could have been even worse, but Shankar hit back-to-back fours in the sixth over off Chakravarthy to push the total up.

Moeen Ali dismissed Devon Conway (12) in the fourth over, and Rana sent Rachin Ravindra (4) back in the fifth. CSK could have been three down during the powerplay had Narine not dropped a simple catch at mid-off off Shankar.

Vijay Shankar’s luck eventually ran out in the 10th over as he was caught by Moeen, leaving CSK at 61/3 at the halfway stage. Wickets kept falling as Rahul Tripathi (22) was bowled by Narine, Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed for just one run off seven balls, and Ravindra Jadeja (0) was out for two balls. By this point, CSK were 71/6.

Deepak Hooda (0) fell soon after, and Dhoni came to the crease with CSK at 72/7 in 14.2 overs. It was clear that the match was slipping away from CSK, and the Chepauk crowd went quiet when Dhoni was given out LBW to Narine. Despite a review, which seemed to indicate there was bat involved, the decision stood.

CSK managed to pass the 100-run mark, thanks mainly to Dube, with more than four overs left to spare.