IPL 2025
CSK lost five matches for the first time in Chepauk in IPL history © Sportzpics
Chennai Super Kings became the first team to be eliminated from IPL 2025 as they succumbed to their eighth loss in ten games. Despite getting to a score of 190 after being put in to bat, CSK ran the risk of being beaten comfortably but managed to drag the game into the final over, but to no avail. Punjab Kings jumped up to second spot in the points table thanks to the victory.
What made the difference?The 72-run partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh was critical for Punjab Kings to navigate through the middle overs. While dew played a factor, the duo’s immaculate boundary-hitting against anything that CSK had on offer proved to be the difference eventually.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
Powerplay – CSK rocked early
Phase Score: 48/3 (RR: 8.00; 4s/6s: 7/1)
On a sticky surface, strokeplay was never going to be easy and CSK’s young openers found that out the hard way. Both Shiak Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre fell trying to force the pace against Punjab’s seamers who bowled in the right areas with the conditions on offer. CSK’s promotion for Ravindra Jadeja seemed to pay early dividends with the batter injecting some momentum hitting left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar for three boundaries in four balls. But the spinner had the last laugh as he had Jadeja nicking behind, and confirmed on review, in the same over. It left CSK precariously poised at the end of the PowerPlay.
Middle Overs – Curran, Brevis lift CSK
Phase Score: 86/1 (RR: 9.55 ; 4s/6s: 8/3)
The innings which was seemingly going according to CSK’s previous struggles in the tournament got a welcome twist thanks to an energetic partnership between Sam Curran and Dewald Brevis. The duo added 78 runs for the fourth wicket and largely guided CSK through the middle-overs challenge, particularly against spin. They had been slowed down multiple times in this phase previously in this edition but here the duo counter-attacked against Brar and Yuzvendra Chahal. The latter was hit for 23 in his first couple of overs and forced PBKS to resort to pace again through the middle overs. But that did little to deter the momentum as both Curran and Brevis shared the boundaries adeptly. Only when Omarzai skidded one past Brevis did PBKS get some respite. But Curran brought up his fifty soon after and switched gears just as CSK were heading to the death overs.
Death Overs – A hat-trick amidst a frenzied finish
Phase Score: 56/6 (RR: 13.33; 4s/6s: 4/4)
Yuzvendra Chahal got his second IPL hat-trick in the penultimate over of the game.. In the same over he had also accounted for MS Dhoni’s wicket after being hit for a six. That eventful over dented CSK’s spirited finish. Sam Curran had started it off hitting 26 off the 16th over bowled by Suryansh Shedge, and looked set to race away to a ton in the process. But against the run of play, he fell softly nicking behind against Jansen. His 47-ball 88 had however given CSK more than enough to play with on a pitch that also offered a little for the slower bowlers on display as Chahal showed later.
PUNJAB KINGS
Powerplay – PBKS put on course courtesy the openers
Phase Score: 51/1 (RR:8.5 ; 4s/6s: 8/1)
Punjab’s openers continued in the template they’ve set for themselves in the tournament of attacking being their primary operational mode. So Priyansh Arya edged a boundary in the first over bowled by Khaleel but also continued to slog and earn one more in the over. Arya was the dominant partner in the 44-run opening stand. He looked comfortable against the team that head scored a hundred earlier in the tournament. Smacking Khaleel for a couple of boundaries, Arya was dismissed trying to pull a sharp, short ball but gloving it through to the ‘keeper. Nevertheless, PBKS had managed to keep abreast of the asking rate during this period.
Middle Overs – Iyer, Prabhsimran put PBKS on a roll
Phase Score: 88/1 (RR: 9.77; 4s/6s: 7/5)
CSK were expected to exert pressure through their spinners in the middle overs but with a bit of dew settling in, none of their spinners could create an impact. It made batting through the phase get easier. Additionally, both Prabhsimran and Shreyas Iyer were smart in picking their spots for the boundaries. With Jadeja and Noor Ahmad rendered ineffective, Dhoni turned to Sam Curran and Matheesha Pathirana after the halfway mark. The latter remained off colour going for 14 in his first over and continued CSK’s woes of the season. Prabhsimran, who had got to a 32-ball fifty, was dropped by Pathirana off Noor but the damage of that drop didn’t last long. Prabhsimran holed out in the same over ending a 72-run stand for the second wicket. CSK were eyeing a way back in to the contest, and the situation seemed ideal. However, Iyer seized the moment hitting Curran for 15 in the following over and also bringing up his own fifty. That meant that PBKS never lost the momentum that they had got through the partnership.
Death Overs – PBKS coast up and down before getting over the finishing line
Phase Score: – 55/3 (RR: 12.70; 4s/6s: 4/4 )
With 52 needed in the final five overs, PBKS still needed a few good hits to come their way. Shashank Singh kept up to the ask with a crucial six off Noor. But it was Iyer who hit the decisive blows hitting Pathirana for two sixes and a four to pick up 20 collectively in the 17th over which tilted the chase firmly in PBKS’ favour. Shashank chipped in with useful boundaries in the next over off Jadeja before he was caught in the deep. The chase which was all but over at this stage but because Iyer fell three short of the target, the game dragged into the final over where they scrambled over the line with two balls to spare.
Brief Scores: CSK 190 all out (Sam Curran 88; Yuzvendra Chahal 4-32) lost to Punjab Kings 194/6 (Shreyas Iyer 72, Prabhsimran Singh 54) by four wickets
What next?
In a couple of days, Chennai will travel to Bengaluru to take on RCB on May 03 while Punjab Kings go up to Dharamsala to host Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, May 04.
© Cricbuzz
