IPL 2022: CSK vs PBKS Top Performances: Shikhar Dhawan’s 88*, Ambati Rayudu’s 39-ball 78 and Rabada’s 2-23 are top performances from the game between CSK and PBKS
Brief Scores: PBKS 187/4 (Shikhar Dhawan 88*, DJ Bravo 2/42) beat CSK 176/6 (Ambati Rayudu 78, Rabada 2/23) by 11 runs
Player of the Match: Shikhar Dhawan for his 59-ball 88*
Punjab Kings (PBKS) steered to their fourth victory of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, following the 11-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.
Both the teams were at the bottom of IPL 2022 points table and were looking for a consolidating victory and improve their respective net run rates and points, going forward in the tournament. The Mayank Agarwal-led side had previously beat the title defenders by 54 runs when they last faced each other at Brabourne Stadium this year.
The star for PBKS in that game was Liam Livingstone, who ravaged the CSK bowling unit with his 60-run knock off 32 deliveries in Punjab’s total of 180/8 in 20 overs. Livingstone further shone with the ball and took 2/25 and helped Punjab register their second win in IPL 2022.
CSK, on the other hand, were miserable in their first encounter with PBKS after having been bowled out on 126 runs in 18 overs while chasing 181 runs set by Punjab.
CSK needed to avenge their loss during the second encounter, however, were outplayed by PBKS in all the departments. Several outstanding performances were witnessed during Monday’s CSK vs PBKS game which turned out to be a high-scoring affair.
Let’s scan the top performances from CSK vs PBKS game, IPL 2022:
Shikhar Dhawan exemplifies his class, scores 88*
Put in to bat first, Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan opened the innings for the Punjab Kings. However, both the batters didn’t seem to get runs during the powerplay and showed vigilance.
Skipper Mayank Agarwal, who was having a hard time finding runs threw away his wicket to Maheesh Theekshana in the final over of the powerplay. PBKS were 37/1 after losing their skipper. From thereon, it was a truly domineering show from Shikhar Dhawan, who was playing his 200th IPL game and also went past 6000 runs in the tournament.
The southpaw also breached the 9000-run mark in T20 cricket. It was his day to own. Dhawan along with Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who had come in for Shahrukh Khan, stitched a 110-run partnership for the third wicket. The duo played in sequence for the next 12 overs and took the score past 140 runs.
Dhawan, periodically, went on a punishing spree to drill down CSK bowlers en route his 46th IPL half-century. Incidentally, he also scored his eighth half-century, annexed with 1000 + runs against CSK in IPL history. Dhawan anchored the PBKS innings and took the team total to 187/4 despite having been kept quiet by the CSK spinners, while pacers were taken to the cleaners.
Read More: IPL 2022, PBKS vs CSK, Top Performances: Livingstone’s all-round hand (60 & 2-25) helps Punjab win
Ambati Rayudu’s valorous 78-run knock goes in vain
Needing 188 runs to secure their third win, CSK needed the early ammunition firing. On the contrary, they lost two wickets in the form of Robin Uthappa (1) and Mitchell Santner (9) during the powerplay.
The next two wickets fell in quick sequence, leaving CSK longing for a sturdy partnership. The new batter Ambati Rayudu came to the crease with a quest to regain his form and settled in quick time and accelerated his power-hitting business. The 36-year-old went down the wicket against Liam Livingstone for a six and a boundary, coupled with two more boundaries in Sandeep Sharma’s over.
He clobbered 22 runs off Sandeep in the 16th over and sailed CSK’s chase to 141/4 after 16 overs. The game was on and duly revived by Rayudu for the ‘Men in Yellow’. He also reached his 22nd IPL fifty and while fulfilling the quest for runs brought CSK back into winning contention.
However, he got dismissed in the 18th over bowled by Kagiso Rabada and departed after scoring 78 runs off 39 balls, studded with seven boundaries and half a dozen sixes at a whopping strike rate of 200. After his dismissal, CSK still needed 35 runs off 13 deliveries with new batter MS Dhoni on the crease.
Read More: IPL 2022, SRH vs PBKS, Top Performances: Bhuvi (3-22), Umran (4-28) dismantle PBKS; SRH in top 4
Rabada’s spellbinding spell (2/23) throws CSK out of the winning equation
The most economical bowler alongside Arshdeep Singh in the PBKS bowling lot, Kagiso Rabada also chipped in with two crucial wickets when his team needed them the most. First off, he dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad, who departed for 30 runs off 27 balls, looking quite rusty during his stay at the crease. Rabada cleverly pitched a length ball which was miscued by Gaikwad towards deep mid-off and got perched in Mayank Agarwal’s hand.
Rabada broke the 49-run flourishing partnership between Rayudu (78) and Gaikwad (30) and held CSK under duress for some time in the game. Rabada came back in the 18th over during the climactic stage when Rayudu was in full swing and CSK needed 41 runs off 18 balls. He dismissed Rayudu with a toe-crushing yorker and brought his side back in the game with a major pushback to CSK, especially at a crucial stage in the game. Rabada finished with 2/23 in four overs with an economy of 5.80.
Read More: IPL 2022, DC vs PBKS, Top Performances: Axar’s stifling act of 2-10, Khaleel’s 2-21 blow away PBKS
IPL 2022 Points Table
What’s to come
Third-placed Rajasthan Royals will take on fifth-ranked Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune on April 26.
Here are some top twitter reactions from CSK vs PBKS game, IPL 2022:
Read More: IPL 2022, CSK vs MI, Top Performances: Tilak’s 51* in vain; Dhoni’s 6, 4, 2, 4 takes CSK to victory
