Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 3 : A fine half-century from skipper Shreyas Iyer and quickfire knocks from Cooper Connolly and Priyansh Arya helped Punjab Kings (PBKS) chase down 210 runs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), winning by five wickets at the Chepauk on Friday.
CSK have slipped to their second loss in the tournament, while PBKS have gained their second successive win. CSK was put to bat first, scoring 209/5, with knocks from Ayush Mhatre (73 in 43 balls, with six fours and five sixes), Shivam Dube (45* in 28 balls, with five fours and a six) and Sarfaraz Khan (32 in 12 balls, with six fours and a six) standing out. In the run-chase, a 61-run stand between Priyansh Arya (39 in 11 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and Prabhsimran Singh (43 in 34 balls, with six fours and a six), a fiery 22-ball 36 from Cooper Connolly with six fours and a fifty from skipper Iyer (50 in 29 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) took PBKS to the target in 18.4 overs.
During the run-chase of 210 runs, Priyansh Arya smoked Khaleel Ahmed for a four and a six in the opening over. The left-armer also bowled three wides, giving away 14 runs in the first over.
The second over by Matt Henry leaked 20 runs as Priyansh started with a four, then a six, followed by a four on the first three balls. Prabhsimran Singh pulled the penultimate delivery for a four, making it 20 runs.
Prabhsimran continued his attacking ways, smashing Anshul Kamboj for three fours in an over, taking his side to the 50-run mark in 3.2 overs.
Priyansh started the next over with a six over Henry's head, but the bowler got the last laugh, dismissing him for 39 in 11 balls, with three fours and four sixes. PBKS was 61/1 in 4.2 overs.
At the end of the powerplay, PBKS was 68/1, with Prabhsimran (25*) and Cooper Connolly (0*) unbeaten.
Prabhsimran was marching towards his fifty, but was run out in the ninth over for 34-ball 43 (with six fours and a six). PBKS was 95/2 in 8.5 overs.
Courtesy of a four over Rahul Chahar's head, Cooper helped PBKS reach the 100-run mark in 9.5 overs. Halfway through their innings, PBKS was 103/2.
A fine catch from Henry helped Kamboj remove PBKS's hero against Gujarat Titans, Connolly for a 22-ball 36, with six fours. PBKS was 127/3 in 11.5 overs.
In the 13th over, skipper Shreyas Iyer launched Chahar for two massive sixes over extra cover and deep square leg. PBKS reached the 150-run mark in 14.1 overs, with Iyer hitting Henry for two successive fours to end the over at a score of 163/3, with 15 runs looted.
The skipper continued to fire, getting boundaries against Chahar and Kamboj, scoring his half-century in 26 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. However, Kamboj ended the 17th over by getting Iyer for a 29-ball 50, with four boundaries and three sixes. PBKS was 186/4.
PBKS marched to the 200-run mark in 18.1 overs, losing Nehal Wadhera in between for a nine-ball 10. PBKS ended the chase in 18.4 overs at 201/5, with Shashank Singh (14*) and Marcus Stoinis (9*) unbeaten.
Kamboj (2/43) and Henry (2/50) were among the wickets for CSK.
CSK posted a big total of 209 runs against Punjab Kings (PBKS), courtesy of a stunning half-century from Ayush Mhatre and cameos from Sarfaraz Khan and Shivam Dube.
Asked to bat first, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side lost their first wicket in the second over when Sanju Samson got caught behind on Xavier Bartlett's delivery after making just seven runs. CSK was 14/1 in two overs.
Ayush Mhatre came in to bat and added 96 runs for the second wicket with his captain. He completed his first half-century of the season in just 29 deliveries, with four boundaries and four sixes.
The 96-run stand ended as skipper Gaikwad failed to convert a good start and holed out to Nehal Wadhera on Yuzvendra Chahal's delivery after making a struggling 28 off 22 balls with the help of a couple of fours. CSK was 110/2 in 11.1 overs.
Soon after, Mhatre followed, giving an easy catch to Yuzi Chahal and a wicket to Vijaykumar Vyshak. CSK was 123/3 in 12.3 overs. Kartik Sharma, the Rs 14.20 crore big buy's poor start in the IPL continued as he fell for just one run to pacer Marco Jansen, and suddenly CSK was down to 130/4 in 13.4 overs.
Sarfaraz Khan made a quick 32 off just 12 balls with the help of six fours and a six. He produced a stunning counter-attack with a hat-trick of fours against Arshdeep Singh and Vyshak, but was caught by Nehal Wadhera as Vyshak's second victim. CSK was 168/5 in 16.5 overs.
Shivam Dube shifted towards the end, smashing Jansen for a huge six in the 18th over, two fours against Xavier Bartlett in the 19th over and three fours against Arshdeep in the final over, scoring an unbeaten 45* in 28 balls, with five fours and a six. Prashant Veer also remained unbeaten on six runs as the five-time champions posted a big total of 209 runs.
Vijaykumar Vyshak was the best bowler for the Kings with the bowling figures of 2/38. Chahal, Jansen and Bartlett also shared one wicket each.
CSK: 209/5 (Ayush Mhatre 73, Shivam Dube 45*, Vijaykumar Vyshak 2/38) lost to PBKS: 210/5 in 18.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 50, Prabhsimran Singh 43, Anshul Kamboj 2/43).