Punjab Kings kept their IPL 2024 playoff dreams alive with a big seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday. It was an important victory for the Sam Curran-led side who now have 8 points from 10 matches and are seventh in the IPL 2024 points table. PBKS will need to win all of their remaining four matches and depend on other results to end up in the Top 4. On the other hand, the defeat means that CSK remain fourth with 10 points from 10 matches. Rajasthan Royals are at the top of the table followed by Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants.
Punjab Kings mounted a pragmatic chase to consign Chennai Super Kings to a demoralising seven-wicket defeat at their own den in their IPL 2024 match on Wednesday.
Punjab rode on quick 40s by Jonny Bairstow (46, 30b, 7x4, 1x6) and Rilee Rossouw (43, 23b, 5x4, 2x6) to move past Chennai's modest 162 for seven, which was built around skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's solid 62 (48b, 5x4, 2x6).
The win took PBKS to seventh place on the points table with eight points, while CSK stayed on fourth with 10 points.
The Super Kings' defence of 163 faced multiple barricades as their spinners – Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja – were rendered ineffective because of dew and pacer Deepak Chahar walked off the field with a niggle after bowling just two balls.
But that should not take the sheen out of PBKS' effort with the bat on the night.
"Very happy. Every time you come to Chennai and take two wins, always a special feeling. Same as last year, we lost a lot of our home games and won away, finding a similar pattern. We are in a position where we need to win all our games, we come up against the same opposition in a few days. I think when you come to Chennai, you now how hot it is and dew is going to settle in."
"Chahar came back and was the best bowler in the 260 game, and he's bowling with great confidence. He stepped up when I asked him to bowl against MSD in the 19th over. The pace bowlers were going for a bit in the end, and I wanted to try something different. Asked Rilee what he reckoned and took that gamble with spin. We come against the same opposition so we have one up on them."
"It is a new game, new conditions but this win will give us a lot of confidence. I think our bowlers were superb, the spinners and Jonny striking them well, even the way we paced that chase, it was brilliant. Need to build on that confidence," PBKS skipper Sam Curran said after the match.
(With PTI inputs)
