IPL 2023: 61th Match CSK vs KKR: May 14, 2023

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Chennai Super Kings in their final home game of the league season, using their spinners and batting prowess on a challenging Chepauk pitch to stay in the race for the playoffs. A victory for CSK would have secured them a spot in the playoffs and put them in contention for a top-two finish, but this loss has affected their chances. KKR’s mystery spinners, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, played a significant role in restricting CSK to 144 for 6. KKR, aided by the dew, were always the favorites and despite losing three wickets early on, Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana’s 99-run partnership for the fourth wicket ensured their victory with nine balls remaining. While KKR may have wanted a more comprehensive win, they had to prioritize the net run rate considerations after their early wickets. CSK captain MS Dhoni mentioned in the post-match interview that they would have needed a score of 180 to have a chance of defending it due to the dew factor, but it was difficult to achieve given the challenging conditions during the first innings. Dhoni’s decision to bat first did not yield the desired outcome for CSK.

CSK’s innings began promisingly with the first two partnerships adding 31 and 30 runs respectively. Varun Chakravarthy played a key role in breaking both partnerships, dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane’s dismissal triggered a collapse as CSK went from 61 for 1 to 72 for 5. Shardul Thakur removed a struggling Devon Conway for 30 off 28 balls, and Sunil Narine claimed two wickets in the 11th over by dismissing Ambati Rayudu and Moeen Ali. With the tricky pitch and a lack of batting depth, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja opted for a cautious approach, looking to take the innings deep. Jadeja struggled to score quickly, hitting only one six and no fours while scoring 20 off 24 balls. Dube, on the other hand, ensured CSK crossed the 140-run mark with some big hits, including two sixes off Suyash Sharma and one-off Varun in the 18th over. He found ways to score even when Varun bowled tight lines, using his feet to work the ball for doubles.

By the end of the powerplay, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh had already found their rhythm. Rana hit Deepak Chahar for a six off his hips in the fifth over, while Rinku smashed Lalit Yadav for a straight six in the sixth over. CSK introduced spin immediately, with Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana bowling to the left-handed duo. Initially, they were able to contain the batsmen, but Rinku broke the shackles with two fours off Moeen Ali in the ninth over. Moeen continued to leak runs as Rana hit him for three fours in his third and fourth overs. Overall, Rana scored 34 runs off 22 balls against the offspin duo of Moeen and Maheesh Theekshana, showcasing his proficiency against offspinners in the IPL.