IPL 2021: Chahar, Moeen set up CSK win over Punjab Kings

Chennai Super Kings comfortably beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in Mumbai to register their first win in this year’s Indian Premier League.

Having lost the toss and been put into bat, Punjab were restricted to a measly 106-8 from 20 overs.

Deepak Chahar was the pick of the Chennai bowlers, taking 4-13 from four overs.

England all-rounder Moeen Ali hit 46 off 31 balls as CSK reached their target with 4.2 overs to spare.

It was a fine performance from Chennai – who lost their opening game to Delhi on Saturday – to mark captain MS Dhoni’s 200th appearance for the franchise, with Chahar the star of the show.

The seamer found some wonderful late movement to bowl Mayank Agarwal for a duck in the first over, before Punjab captain KL Rahul was run out for five after a brilliant piece of fielding by Ravindra Jadeja.

Chahar then took two wickets in the fourth over. The first was a wonderful knuckle-ball that deceived Chris Gayle – who scooped it to Jadeja at cover for 10 – the second a short delivery that Nicholas Pooran pulled straight to long leg for a duck.

A wicket-maiden in Chahar’s final over – dismissing Deepak Hooda for 10 – capped off a fantastic spell and left Punjab reeling on 26-5 after the seventh over.

Sam Curran also bowled well for CSK, taking 1-12 from three overs, with Shahrukh Khan’s 46 from 36 balls the only significant contribution from the Punjab batsmen.

Chasing a low target, Chennai openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis began conservatively, scoring just eight from the first three overs, before Du Plessis upped the pace in the fourth by hitting Jye Richardson for a six and two boundaries.

Gaikwad was dismissed for five after he mistimed a pull straight to mid-wicket off the bowling of Arshdeep Singh, bringing Moeen to the crease.

The England all-rounder – who earlier took 1-17 with the ball – batted freely in an innings that included seven fours and a six, before he was dismissed by spinner Murugan Ashwin.

CSK lost a couple of late wickets as Punjab seamer Mohammed Shami took the wickets of Suresh Raina for eight and Ambati Rayudu for a first-ball duck.

But Du Plessis’ composed innings of 36 off 33 balls – and a boundary from Curran for the winnings runs – ensured CSK completed an easy victory. (BBC Sport)