IPL 2023 Highlights, CSK vs PBKS: Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings players greet each other at the end of their IPL 2023 cricket match, at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Sunday, April 30, 2023. Punjab won by 4 wickets. (PTI)Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings Highlights: Sikandar Raza shouldered Punjab Kings to 201 in a final-ball thriller against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk in their Indian Premier League game on Sunday.
Riding on Devon Conway’s unbeaten 92 and his 86-run opening wicket stand with Ruturaj Gaikwad (37) helped Chennai Super Kings give a perfect start. Dhoni promoted Shivam Dube to number three and he added 44 runs for the second wicket alongside Conway. Once Dube departed, CSK sent two more left-handers to bat but they couldn’t do well. Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja failed to deliver and Conway too, slowed down after flying past his fifty.
Conway struggled after crossing his 80s and was unbeaten on 92 off 52 balls, while MS Dhoni’s sixes brought the momentum back and CSK finished at 200/4 in their allotted 20 overs.
Follow Highlights of CSK vs PBKS from Chennai below.
Chennai Super Kings
200/4 (20.0)Punjab Kings
201/6 (20.0)Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 4 wickets
Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni with teammates during a practice session ahead of IPL 2023 cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai, Saturday, April 29, 2023. (PTI Photo)
Sandip G: It was Sikandar Raza’s moment under the glittering IPL skies. The only player from Zimbabwe in this league, the all-rounder’s acquisition was ridiculed. His continued selection in the playing eleven questioned. But here he was, holding his nerves and scraping Punjab Kings to a last-ball thriller for ages. He did not do it the flamboyant way. His team required seven of the last four balls of the game. He missed the first, inside-edged the next ball for a couple to deep midwicket, and mistimed another double to square. Three required of the last ball, he hung back anticipating a short ball from Matheesha Pathirana. A short of length cutter it turned out to be and Raza threw the proverbial kitchen sink at it. He could not get ample wood onto the short-ball, but found the perfect placement as the ball dribbled into the space between deep fine leg and deep midwicket. Raza and his partner Shahrukh Khan ran the run of their lives to complete the three. Raza once aspired to become a fighter jet pilot. And like a jet plane he jetted off to the embrace of his onrushing teammates.
MS Dhoni: We need to be prepared as to what is to be done. The last few overs when we were batting, we could have gotten 10-15 more. Our bowling needed some cushion. The slower one did grip. Our batters have been putting runs consistently. If I take those one or two bad overs. We know the conditions well. We didnt bowl well. You didnt want to get hit to that side. You need to see what is the problem. The execution or the plan. Pathirana bowled really. The first six overs we can do better. What lines to bowl.
It went right down the wire, didn't it!
CSK have been involved in quite a few last over, last ball finishes. This'll go right up among the lot. What calm and composure from Sikandar Raza to wrap things up after Pathirana kept the game alive till the last ball. Jitesh Sharma was phenomenal once again. So was the stand between Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone. And let's not forget, CSK had their own protagonists. A 401 run thriller that had to be decided on the very last ball.
Pathirana to bowl the last over. Full and wide to start. Just the single. Full and in the blockhole of the next, a leg bye. A slower length ball and it's a dot. Seven to win off the last three balls. The fourth one goes down deep mid wicket. Two runs. A slower length ball off the next one, another couple of runs. Three to win off the last ball. Two for a super over. Lofted on the on side, Sikandar Raza and Shahrukh Khan run their way to a four wicket win for Punjab!
Deshpande into his last over. Jitesh Sharma is on strike. A wide low full toss, lofted over the covers for four. Goes with the same line and length off the next one and it costs another couple. Goes astray off the third. Wide ball. The next one, Jitesh catches with a heave down wide long and substitute fielder, Sheikh Rasheed catches it but seems to have touched the rope. Third umpire check shows he has just about managed to keep his foot behind. Jitesh departs.
Sikandar Raza is the new man in, gets one down short third for four. Another wide follows. 13 runs off the over. Nine to win off the last over.
Sandip G: Tushar Deshpande has bled a nudge under 11 runs per over season, but Chennai Super Kings still persist with him because of his wicket-taking skills. His 24-run over where he also pocketed the wicket of Liam Livingstone is his career in a nutshell. Livingstone swung the first two balls for six. The third ball, a bouncer, thudded off the Englishman’s shoulders to the ropes. Livingstone smacked the fourth for a six, and Deshpande looked utterly distraught, before MS Dhoni wrapped an arm of comfort. The young seamer threw everything into the next ball, a wide slow bouncer that stopped at Livingstone and which he eventually miscued to deep midwicket. In a moment, Deshpande’s life looked brighter. He flashed a relieved smile.
Maheesh Pathirana provides CSK with a crucial breakthrough, and a dot ball. A full slingy delivery that does the southpaw. What a mighty fine over this for CSK following one that costed 17 from Jadeja. A topsy turvy chase and we aren't done yet. 179/5 after 18, 22 runs required off the last two overs.
Jadeja returns for his final over. Jitesh Sharma is the new man in. Full and outside off and the right hander sits down to dispatch this one over deep mid wicket. Goes with a length ball to Curran, who runs down the track to nail a straight six down the ground. 17 runs come off the ove. 170/4 after 17.
Sandip G: Punjab Kings mustered 62 for one in the Powerplay, a run-rate in sync with the required rate. Together, Prabhsimran Singh and Shikhar Dhawan struck seven fours and three sixes. Whereas in the past, a middle-overs lull was acceptable, these days power-hitting armed teams would look to sustain the run-rare. But Kings laboured to find the ropes, in the wake of some tight bowling. In the next eight overs, they managed two fours and as many sixes apiece, eking out just 57 runs in this span. Much of the credit should go to Ravindra Jadeja, who bowled fastest and flatter than he had in recent times. His setting up of Atharva Taide was classic. He kept bowling wider and wider, before Taide lost his cool and sliced him in the air. He conceded just a boundary and piled eight dot balls in his three-over spell that could well turn out to be match-defining.
Deshpande on the first ball of his second spell has been picked clean by Livingstone for a cracker down long on for six. Goes full on the off for the next one, banged over extra cover for six. The third one bounces unevenly and unexpectedly as the England international gets low to try and pull it through the off side but has coped this on his right shoulder. The ball does run down short third for four but Livingstone hasn't looked comfortable. 150 up for Punjab. Deshpande banks on the shoulder blow, goes short and Livingstone nails it straight to Gaikwad at mid wicket. Punjab, 153/4 after 16 overs.
Theekshana in for his last over. Sam Curran tries to go down the ground again, this time off a delivery in the slog, miscues it again and falls safe. Again. The next one is in the arc as well and Curran squeezes it through covers for four. His first of the game and one much needed by Punjab at this stage. The last ball whizzes between Curran's bat and pad to almost affect the stumps. MS Dhoni with the 'oh yeah' from behind the stumps. 129/3 after 15.
Pathirana back in for a second over. Bangs it short and wide and Sam Curran miscues it down long off, Ajinkya Rahane back tracks it from mid off but is unable to claim it. Another seven run over as Punjab look to up the run rate. 119/3 after 14. 82 runs needed off the last six overs.
Theekshana into his third over. An economical one at this point. Just the seven runs come off it. Livingstone has been in for 12 deliveries now and is looking for that big over. Crucial passage in the game coming up as CSK eye to remove the pair that can spoil the party for them at Chepauk. 112/3 after 13 overs.
This time Livingstone connects and connects well. Back of a length angling into the middle and leg. Cramps Livingstone for space but he manages to make a decent connection on the pull. Finds the gap through backward square leg for a four. 100 up for Punjab Kings. (CSK: 103/3 after 11.5 overs)
Jadeja gets another one. Taide tries the flat-batted shot and offers a simple chance to Jadeja. Punjab Kings need 105 runs in 55 balls. (CSK: 97/3 after 11 overs)
Flat-batted six from Liam Livingstone. That is absolutely muscled over wide mid-off for a flat six! Back of a length and outside off. Livingstone comes down the track and powers for a maximum. Punjab Kings need 108 runs in 61 balls. (CSK: 92/2 after 9.4 overs)
Ravindra Jadeja ends Prabhshimran Singh's innings. Ravindra Jadeja slows it down a bit and gets Prabhsimran. He steps out and looks to go big, misses, it turns away and Dhoni cheekily waits before flicking the bails off. Punjab Kings need 120 runs in 69 balls. (CSK: 81/2 after 8.3 overs)
Prabhsimran dances down the track and hits it over the long-on for a massive six. Punjab Kings need 123 runs in 75 balls. (CSK: 79/1 after 7.4 overs)
Switch hit from Prabhsimran and he gets a boundary. Punjab Kings need 134 runs in 81 balls. (CSK: 68/1 after 6.4 overs)
At the end of the powerplay, Punjab Kings are 62 for 1. Punjab Kings need 139 runs in 83 balls.
Hammered! Prabhinmran starts the last over of the powerplay with a boundary. Prabhsimran gives himself room and drills it through the gap at covers for a boundary. Punjab Kings need 141 runs in 87 balls. (PBKS: 60/1 after 5.3 overs)
Tushar Deshpande provides the breakthrough as Dhawan departs. Dhawan plays it late and cuts it straight into the hands of Pathirana at short third!. SK needed this badly. Atharva Taide is the new batter in at 3. Punjab Kings need 151 runs in 94 balls. (CSK: 50/0 after 4.2 overs)
Fifty up for Punjab with that boundary. Too much width on offer and Dhawan takes advantage, slaps it through cover point for 4 runs!a
Top edge and Prabhsimran gets a boundary. Twelve runs came from Theekshana's first over. Punjab Kings need 155 runs in 96 balls. (Punjab Kings: 46/0 after 4 overs)
Delicate touch from Dhawan but excellent fielding from Ruturaj Gaikwad. He saves a certain boundary. Punjab Kings need 159 runs to win the match. (Punjab Kings: 42/0 after 3.5 overs)
Prabhsimran welcomes Theekshana with a boundary. Times it to perfection and hits it straight down the ground. Punjab Kings need 162 runs to win the match. (CSK: 39/0 after 3.2 overs)
One bounce over the fence. Fourteen runs came from the third over. Punjab Kings need 167 runs to win the match. (CSK: 34/0 after 3 overs)
Shikhar Dhawan makes some room, Akash follows him and the Punjab Kings skipper plays the pick-up over long leg for a six. Punjab Kings need 173 runs to win the match. (CSK: 28/0 after 2.4 overs)
It was on the legs and Prabhsimran whips it over the mid-wicket for a six. Punjab Kings need 182 runs to win the match. (PBKS: 19/0 after 1.4 overs)
Cheeky! Back-to-back boundaries for Dhawan. Length delivery, outside the off stump, touch and finesse their from Shikhar, cuts it above the slips area to send the ball racing away to the ropes. Punjab Kings need 192 runs to win. (PBKS: 9/0 after 0.4 overs)
Shikhar Dhawan is off the mark with a boundary. Dhawan dances down first ball, stays away from a length ball, and crashes it over cover for four. No one moved.
The umpires are out there and the CSK fielders are making their way out after their last-minute huddle. Prabhsimran Singh (Impact Player) and Shikhar Dhawan are out in the middle. Akash Singh is CSK's Impact Player. Ambati Rayudu goes out. Punjab Kings need 201 runs to win the match.
It was the most non-MS Dhoni six. Sam Curran pitched the ball short and wide. The left-armer knew the danger of straying anywhere into Dhoni’s body, whereupon he would only see a ferocious bottom-handed whip. Short and wide seems to be safe, at the most he would slap it to the sweeper prowling the covers. But Curran was wrong, Dhoni stretched his arms, his front-leg in the air and upper-slashed (than cut) over point. The shot did not carry the Dhoni stamp, but it did not matter for the delirious yellow-shirt clad fans of his. A moment later, he would unfurl that familiar bottom-hand heavy leg-side thump and deposit the ball into the crowded tier over deep midwicket. The celebrations were blissful.
- Sandip G
"It's a good wicket, a bit slow in the beginning when the bowlers hit the high length. Every-time you go into bat, just stay fresh, don't overcomplicate things and ride it till you can. It was pretty special to be out there after the two MS sixes when they went over the rope. Let's hope we defend this total."
Most teams are fussed about right-left batting combinations. So obsessed that they make like-for-like replacements, often dogmatically. Except Chennai Super Kings, who have been historically left-field in thinking, resorted to the other extreme. When the right-handed Ruturaj Gaikwad exited, Shivam Dube strode out, instead of Ajinkya Rajane, in red-hot form. And when Dube held out in the deep, Moeen Ali walked out to bat, and after Ali was stumped, Ravindra Jadeja galloped in. The pattern continued until they ran out of competent left-handed batsmen. The only rationale seemed that Punjab’s nucleus of bowlers comprised a pair of left-arm seamers (Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran) and a leg-spinner (Rahul Chahar). The ploy worked. Arshdeep conceded 9,25 runs an over; Chahar 8.75 and Curran 46.
- Sandip G
Back-to-back sixes from Dhoni to finish the inning as Chennai reach 200 for 4 at the end of their innings. Devon Conway remains unbeaten on 92.
MS Dhoni hits it out of the park and the Chepuak is bouncing.
Is that a catch? Livingstone is not sure. TV umpire is having a look at it. Livingstone at deep mid-wicket runs in and dives forward and looks like has his finger under it. However, he has hurt his fingers. If he has taken it, then this is a brilliant catch. NOT OUT SAYS THE UMPIRE
Curran removes Jadeja. Full toss angling into the pads, Jadeja looks to go big and gets the height and not the distance as the catch is taken by Liam at wide long-on. Jadeja departs with a big roar in the crowd as MS Dhoni enters the fray. (CSK: 185/4 after 19.1 overs)
A boundary after eleven balls. Conway breaks the shackles and hits the last ball of Rabada's spell for a boundary. (CSK: 185/3 after 19 overs)
Poor bowling from Chahar and easy picking for Conway. Short of a length, Conway picks it up and pulls it away through the deep fine leg region as the ball races away to the fence. (CSK: 169/3 after 17 overs)
Conway sweeps and sweeps hard behind square as the ball races away to the deep square leg fence along the ground for a boundary.
Chahar gets Ali. Moeen swings and misses as he dances down the track and misses. Jitesh whips off the bails as Moeen Ali has to depart here. Chahar has a wicket to his name and an important wicket for PBKS as they look to claw their way back in the game. (CSK: 161/3 after 16.3 overs)
Smart cricket from Conway. Wide yorker from Curran and Conway delicately plays it away past the diving short third fielder as the ball races away to the third man fence for a boundary. Great timing and placement from Conway. (CSK: 156/2 after 15.4 overs)
Brutal from Moeen Ali. He picks it and goes up and over covers as the ball races away to the cover fence in no time. The 150 comes up for CSK.
Third boundary in the over and second from Conway. Conway cuts it away square of the wicket as the ball races away to the point fence. (CSK: 146/2 after 15 overs)
Moeen Ali joins the party. Moeen goes inside out over covers as the ball goes into the gap as the ball races away to the cover fence for a boundary.
Liam Livingstone comes into the attack and Conway plays an inside-out over extra cover for a boundary. (CSK: 137/2 after 14.3 overs)
Arshdeep gets Dube. He swings hard and looks to heave it away over the leg side. He does swing his bat full but doesn't time it. Gets the bottom part of the bat and goes aerially towards Shahrukh Khan at long-on. A simple catch near the ropes.
A wild hoick from Conway and it fell in the no man's land. (CSK: 128/1 in 13.3 overs)
Dube welcomes Arshdeep with a boundary. Arshdeep misses the yorker by a few inches and this is right in the slot for Dube. Fuller-length delivery around the off-stump. (CSK: 125/1 in 13.1 overs)
Whereas Sikander Raza’s batting has begun to blossom, his supposed mystery spin had not quite sparked to life this edition. It did not look like it would either until the 10th ball he bowled against Chennai Super Kings. Of the previous nine, he had conceded 14, which in fact flattered his bowling. Devon Conway had just smeared him for a couple of fours before a single brought Ruturaj Gaikwad, in sublime form, on strike. He immediately danced down the track, Raza spotted it and slipped in a slower leg-break (and not a carrom ball that he is renowned to bowl). Gaikwad was surprised —Raza usually trades off-breaks and carrom balls) and even though he read the ball, he was so committed to configure a retaliatory measure. He tried to push the ball away from danger but was beaten in the flight and duly stumped. Raza was ecstatic and celebrated maniacally. And it finally took a leg-break to bring him bowling joy.
- Sandip G
Effortless from Conway. He collects another boundary. Length ball on the leg stump line. Conway shuffles across and uses the pace of Rabada and scoops it over fine leg. (CSK: 121/1 after 13 overs)
Shivam Dube picks his spot and smokes Kagiso Rabada for an 81m long six. (CSK: 114/1 after 12.2 overs)
8th fifty for Devon Conway! 5th of this season.Conway sits down on one knee and plays a terrific reverse sweep beating the short third man to his left for a four. (CSK: 105 for 1 after 11.4 overs)
Shivam Dube just loves facing the spinners. Slightly short and on the off-stump line from Raza and Dube lofted it for a six. (CSK: 100 for 1 after 11.1 overs)
Shivam Dube is promoted to No 3 and Dhawan brings Rabada into the attack. Only four singles from that over. (CSK: 94/1 after 11 overs)
Sikandar Raza with the breakthrough for Punjab Kings. Pitches and turns away to beat Gaikwad's outside edge. Looks like a carrom ball. Gaikwad comes down the track and misses to connect it with his bat as he looks to push it away. Gets beaten and has no way to go as Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps does the rest. (CSK: 86/1 after 9.4 overs)
Another excellent short from Conway. He steps forward and smashes it over the head of the non-striker for a cracking four.
Wayward from Raza. He goes round arm and angles it into the pads of Conway, who pulls it away through the backward square leg region for a boundary.