IPL 2019 highlights: CSK beat KKR by 5 wickets; Suresh Raina hits fifty

Imran Tahir gatecrashed Chris Lynn's party with a figures of four for 27 as CSK bounced back to restrict KKR to a below-par 161 for 8.

In match 29 of VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2019), Imran Tahir spun a web before Suresh Raina found his mojo back with a half-century as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) inched closer towards another playoff qualification with a five-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Garden in Kolkata on Sunday. After Tahir's career-best 4 for 27 restricted KKR to 161 for 8, CSK coasted to the target in 19.4 overs as Raina anchored the chase with an unbeaten 58 off 42 balls with seven fours and a six. Ravindra Jadeja also played an important cameo hitting 31 off 17 balls to pave the way for the team's seventh win in eight games. Needing 24 runs off the last two overs, Jadeja smashed Harry Gurney for three successive fours to make it just a formality in the last over. This was the defending champions fourth win on the trot as they consolidated their position atop the table with 14 points and one more win will virtually seal their spot in playoffs whose cut-off over the ears has been 16 points.

CHECK MATCH 30 (SRH vs DC) LIVE score, TOSS updates and Match Commentary here
 
Check 2019 IPL Points table here

IPL 2019, Match 29: KKR vs CSK full scorecard
 

This was also their first win at the Eden Gardens since 2013 as they did a double on KKR who suffered a hat-trick of defeats for the first time since 2014 and set to slip out of their second place in the table. Incidentally, 161 is their lowest score at the Eden this season.

KKR next face Royal Challengers Bangalore here on April 19.

Sunil Narine was the pick of KKR bowling with figures 2/19 that included a wicket-maiden when he cleaned up Faf du Plessis (24) to end the powerplay.

But Raina held on at the other end with significant partnerships including a 40-run stand with skipper MS Dhoni.

It all seemed a walk in the park for CSK when Narine gave the biggest breakthrough dismissing Dhoni for 16 with team's score of 121/5, needing 41 runs from 26 balls.

But Raina held his nerves while Jadeja gave the finishing touches. On an Eden Gardens track where spinners had struggled so far, Tahir spun the match in favour of Chennai with his twin double blows in the 11th and 15th overs en route his career-best IPL figures that took him past Kagiso Rabada in the leading wicket-takers' tally.

Tahir removed an ominous-looking Chris Lynn (82 off 51 balls; 7x4, 6x6) and in a space of four balls removed the dangerous Andre Russell (10) for the first time under a score of 40 this season to put brakes on their scoring.

Tahir's bowling had such devastating effect that KKR managed just 28 runs from last five overs and went on to lose three more wickets to end up with a below-par total.

But it was a different script for KKR early on with a fit-again Lynn giving them a flying start en route to his second fifty this season that came off just 36 balls.

Having missed his team's last match because of flu, Lynn went ballistic against Deepak Chahar who bled 22 runs from his first two overs with the Aussie smashing the seamer for 4-6-4 in the third over.

Such was Lynn's dominance that the otherwise explosive Sunil Narine looked like a spectator at the other end with the Aussie having a share of 31 off 33 runs in the first four overs.

A 200-plus total looked imminent with Lynn looking dangerous and Russell starting to explode with a boundary and a six off Tahir.

But Tahir, aided by some brilliant catching from Faf du Plessis and the substitute Dhruv Shorey, made inroads removing Nitish Rana (21) and Robin Uthappa (0) in space of two balls.

CSK's catching was exceptional with Du Plessis charging in from long-off to dismiss Uthappa off first ball, then Shradul Thakur at deep square leg clung onto a flat hit from Lynn.

The big one was that of Shorey when he charged in for a swerving low catch to get rid off Russell, who looked in his usual explosive zone with 10 runs from 4 balls (1x4, 1x6).

7:41 PM

Over 19.4; CSK win

Piyush Chawla [3.0-0-24-2] is back into the attack and Jadeja gets an to third-man for FOUR follows by a single. A single for Raina off the 3rd ball. Jadeja takes a couple of runs to sweeper cover and win the match for CSK

7:38 PM

Just 8 needed off the final over

7:38 PM

Over 19

Over Summary: 1 4 4 4 2 1 ; CSK: 154-5

Harry Gurney [3.0-0-21-1] is back into the attack and Raina picks a single off the first ball. Jadeja hammers the 2nd ball for FOUR and gests an edge toward deep backward point for FOUR. Jadeja hits the 4th ball for FOUR towards backward point region. A couple of runs for Jadeja towards backward square leg. A single for jadeja to end the over. 

7:32 PM

Chennai Super Kings need 24 runs in 12 balls

7:31 PM

Over 18; CRR: 7.67 REQ: 12

Over Summary: 1 4 1 1 0 1 ; CSK: 138-5

Narine continues and Jadeja collects a single towards mid-wicket. Raina smashes the 2nd ball to cow corner region for FOUR. A single for Raina off the 3rd ball. A single for Jadeja off the 4th ball. DOT... A single for raina to end the over. 

7:28 PM

Chennai Super Kings need 32 runs in 18 balls

7:28 PM

Over 17; CRR: 7.65 REQ: 10.67

Over Summary: 1 0 0 2 4 Wd 1 ; CSK: 130-5

Prasidh Krishna [3.0-0-21-0] is back into the attack and Raina dabs the first ball to square leg for a single to complete his fifty. Jadeja fails to score off the 2nd ball. A slow delivery outside off, jadeja fails to get bat on ball, DOT. Jadeja hits the 4th ball over extra cover for a couple of runs. jadeja hits the 5th ball straight down the ground for FOUR. WIDE down the leg side. jadeja hits the last ball to deep third-man for a single. 

7:23 PM

Chennai Super Kings need 41 runs in 24 balls

7:22 PM

Over 16; Dhoni OUT

Over Summary: 0 1 0 W 0 0 ; CSK: 121-5

Sunil Narine [2.0-1-10-1] is back into the attack and Raina fails to score off the first ball while picks a single off the next. DOT.... Narine traps Dhoni in front of wicket and Dhoni's horror run against Narine continues, remember Dhoni has not scored a boundary off Narine. Meanwhile Dhoni takes REVIEW and it is 3 REDs and Dhoni departs. Ravindra Jadeja, left handed bat, comes to the crease and fails to score off the last two balls. 

7:15 PM

Over 15; CRR: 8 REQ: 8.4

Over Summary: 1 1 2 4 1 2 ; CSK: 120-4

Harry Gurney [2.0-0-10-1] is back into the attack and Raina drags the first ball to long-on for a single. Dhoni works the 2nd ball to backward square leg for a single. Raina works the 3rd ball to square leg for a quick double. Raina guides the 4th ball through short fine leg for FOUR. Raina punches the 5th ball straight down the ground for a single. Dhoni hits the last ball to sweeper cover for a couple of runs. 

7:09 PM

Time-out

Chennai Super Kings need 53 runs in 36 balls

7:09 PM

Over 14; CRR: 7.79 REQ: 8.83

Over Summary: 0 4 6 1 1 1 ; CSK: 109-4

Chawla continues and Raina fails to score off the first ball while guides the 2nd ball to third-man for FOUR. Raina comes down the wicket and smashes the 3rd ball over bowler's head for SIX follows by a single to backward square leg. Dhoni picks a single off the 5th ball. Raina sweeps the last ball to backward square leg for a single. 

7:05 PM

Over 13

Over Summary: 1 2 6 2 1 1 ; CSK: 96-4

Kuldeep continues and Raina picks a single off the first ball. A couple of runs for Dhoni off the 2nd ball towards extra cover region. Dhoni goes down the wicket and smashes 3rd ball over long-on for SIX follows by a couple of runs towards backward square leg. Dhoni smashes the 5th ball to sweeper cover for a single. A single for Raina to end the over. 

6:59 PM

Over 12

Over Summary: W 1 1 0 0 0 ; CSK: 83-4

Chawla continues and beats Jadhav by Googly and traps him in front of wicket, a big wicket for KKR. Kedar Jadhav lbw b Chawla 20(12) [4s-3 6s-1]. MS Dhoni, right handed bat, comes to the crease and works the 2nd ball for single. Raina hits the 3rd ball to long-off for a single. 3 DOTs to end the over. 

6:53 PM

Over 11; CRR: 7.36 REQ: 9

Over Summary: 0 6 0 0 4 1 ; CSK: 81-3

Kuldeep continues and Jadhav fails to score off the first ball while slog sweeps the next for SIX towards deep mid-wicket boundary. Jadhav works the 3rd ball to short mid-wicket, no run. DOT.... Jadhav finding the gaps easily as he hits the 5th ball to vacant cow-corner region for one bounce FOUR. A single for Jadhav to end the over.