Brar and Chahar go into CSK’s den and spin them out

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The spinners combined for eight boundary-less overs that fetched them four wickets for just 33 runs

Punjab Kings 163 for 3 (Bairstow 46, Rossouw 43) beat Chennai Super Kings 162 for 7 (Gaikwad 62, Rahane 29, Chahar 2-16, Brar 2-17) by seven wickets

Chennai Super Kings were left reeling at the Chepauk Stadium as Punjab Kings made it back-to-back wins with a comfortable seven-wicket victory to retain a slim, outside chance at making the playoffs. They have also become the second team to beat CSK five times in a row, an honour they now share with Mumbai Indians.

It was a far cry from the six-fest of this IPL season, or indeed PBKS’ jaw-dropping success against Kolkata Knight Riders that lifted them out of a three-game losing slump. This time, it was the PBKS spinners that stole the limelight as they restricted CSK to 162 for 7. Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar choked the life out of the batting, taking two wickets apiece and both going boundaryless for their respective four overs.

Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s 62 held together a patchy 20 overs, which bagged him the Orange Cap. But he probably would have swapped either the half-century or the cap, perhaps even both, for winning the toss. Sam Curran was always going to bowl first when the coin fell his way given how dew would impact the second innings on a sweltering evening in Chennai. While that did come to pass, the game was set on its destination early in the chase.

CSK were hampered early in their defence when Deepak Charar limped off after bowling the first two deliveries of the innings, leaving them a bowler short. Though Richard Gleeson marked his IPL debut with the dismissal of Prabhsimran Singh, 64 off 37 deliveries between Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Roussouw put them ahead of the rate.

Both could and perhaps should have seen their side home. Bairstow fell trying to ramp over MS Dhoni, giving Shivam Dube his first IPL wicket since 2020 with just his second delivery of 2024, while Rossouw was bowled by a low full toss from Shardul Thakur that should have gone the distance. But their blitzes, both as a partnership and when Rossouw kept going until the end of the 12th over, had the ask down to a manageable 50 from 58.

With 37 needed off 37, a brace of Curran boundaries against Thakur – the first off a no-ball, and another from the subsequent free hit – removed what jeopardy was left. After successfully reviewing an lbw decision that would have handed Gleeson a second wicket, Curran was able to finish unbeaten on 26, calling for the extra run from a misfield that took Shashank Singh to 25 not out and finished this match with 13 deliveries to spare.

Full report to follow…

Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo