2 weeks Ago By Mid-day
Spinners Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar took two wickets each in economical bowling spells of 2-17 and 2-16, while Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw hit useful 40s each to help register a seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. Brar and Chahar applied brakes on CSK’s batting in the middle overs through their nagging line and length to return with collective figures of 4-33 in eight overs and an economy rate of 4.25, while conceding no boundaries, as the hosts’ were restricted to a below-par 162/7.
ADVERTISEMENT In reply, Bairstow and Rossouw hit 46 and 43 respectively while sharing a 64-run stand for the second wicket. Shashank Singh and Sam Curran ensured PBKS completed the chase with seven wickets in hand and 13 balls to spare. PBKS are now at seventh place in the points table, after pulling off their fifth victory in a row over CSK, who were hampered by dew and losing Deepak Chahar to hamstring injury just two balls into the second innings.
For CSK, barring captain Ruturaj Gaikwad's 62, other batters struggled to get on top of PBKS bowlers on a fresh red-soil pitch having turn and bounce for spinners. After losing no wicket in power-play, CSK had a platform set for a big total. But Brar and Chahar turned the game on its head by bowling stump to stump line and allowing the odd ball to get some turn to set the base for PBKS outclassing CSK in their home den.
Pushed into batting first, Gaikwad was stylish in punching and ra.
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