Chahar’s spin magic, Patel’s precision stifle CSK to 167/9

PTI, May 5, 2024, 5:44 PM IST

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Dharamsala: Rahul Chahar’s spin wizardry was complemented well by pacer Harshal Patel’s superb variations at death as Punjab Kings produced a spirited bowling effort to restrict Chennai Super Kings for a par 167 for nine in the IPL here on Sunday.

At 60/1 in Power Play, CSK were going great guns with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell in the middle during an entertaining 57-run partnership when the wily leg-spinner (3/23) triggered a collapse taking two wickets in two balls after PBKS opted to bowl.

The partnership was halted as CSK went on to lose three wickets in 11 balls with Harshal taking the prized-scalp of Mitchell (30; 19b, 2×4, 1×6) in a controversial DRS. Harshal returned at the death to dismiss Shardul Thakur (17) and MS Dhoni for a golden duck as CSK’s hopes for a revival went up in smoke.

First, he cleaned up Thakur with a slower off-cutter as the CSK fans in Dharamsala waited for yet another piece of Dhoni magic with eight balls to go.

But the Yellow Army left in disbelief as the talismanic Dhoni departed in the very first ball, unable to counter Harshal’s impeccably executed slow yorker.

With no time to bring his bat down, Dhoni’s off-stump was knocked over.

Earlier, veteran Ajinkya Rahane continued his wretched form with the bat and got out for nine from seven balls with Arshdeep Singh giving the breakthrough inside the Power Play.

Rahane lost his balance trying to flick a delivery on his leg to midwicket where Kagiso Rabada took a low catch.

But from thereon, Mitchell looked in complete control, returning to the same venue seven months after the New Zealander smashed a 127-ball 130 against India in the ODI World Cup.

He stepped on the gas in Arshdeep’s second over, pulling him for a midwicket boundary and then lofted him over mid-off.

From being 10 off 11 balls, Ruturaj took the attack to PBKS’ most economical bowler Harpreet Brar, smashing him for one six and two fours in a row as they ended up taking 19 runs off the last over of the Power Play. Chahar turned it around for PBKS right after the timeout, dismissing Ruturaj and Shivam Dube in successive deliveries.

Having just picked up pace, the CSK skipper swung at a wide delivery but the big edge was caught splendidly by Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps.

Dube’s run of golden ducks stretched to two matches after being picked for the upcoming T20 World Cup when the big-hitting allrounder was done in by a Chahar googly.

Dube failed to read the wrong’un and pushed the ball with an angled bat, and the edge nestled in the hands of Jitesh.

But a shocker followed to end Mitchell’s stay. The Kiwi fell victim to a contentious umpire’s call even as the ball was going down the leg. But the UltraEdge showed that the ball was hitting the leg-stump, resulting in his leg-before dismissal. Thereafter, CSK could not get a partnership going as PBKS bowlers kept chipping away.