IPL 2024: Super Kings breathe fire

Chennai, March 26

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Chennai Super Kings’ batters dazzled before the bowlers ran riot in a comprehensive 53-run victory against Gujarat Titans in their second IPL match here today.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s team has covered all its bases and it was evident as Rachin Ravindra prepared a platform with a 20-ball 46-run innings to allow Shivam Dube to unlock his beast mode with a 23-ball 51.

In between, Gaikwad maintained the balance with a 36-ball 46 as Chennai posted a Herculean 206/6.

57 Shivam Dube has hit 57 sixes since the switch to Chennai Super Kings in 2022

Today’s game was near to perfect in all three departments. Against a team like Gujarat, we had to produce this kind of a performance. Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK captain

They outplayed us when they were batting and when they bowled their execution was spot on. Shubman Gill, GT captain

Titans, in reply, could manage only 143/8 as Deepak Chahar (2/28 in 4 overs), Mustafizur Rahman (2/30 in 4 overs), Tushar Deshpande (2/21) and Matheesha Pathirana (1/29 in 4 overs) one by one tightened the noose on Titans’ batting unit.

Skipper Shubman Gill needed to fire but his poor shot selection off a Chahar delivery, which wasn’t as short as expected for a pull shot, brought his downfall.

Once Shubman was gone, Gujarat didn’t even have a chance with players like Wriddhiman Saha (21 off 17 balls) and B Sai Sudharsan (37 off 31 balls), who on most days play second fiddle.

Finishers like David Miller (21) and Rahul Tewatia (1) too couldn’t produce enough to go for the improbable chase and the inevitable happened.

Put in to bat, Rachin’s slam-bang approach and Dube’s final flourish got CSK past the 200-run mark. Not to forget CSK’s Rs 7.60 crore recruit Sameer Rizvi (14 off 6 balls), who pummelled Rashid Khan (2/49 in 4 overs) for two sixes to mark a memorable IPL debut.

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings: 206/6 (Dube 51, Ravindra 46, Gaikwad 46; Rashid 2/49); Gujarat Titans: 143/8 (Sudharsan 37; Chahar 2/28, Mustafizur 2/30, Deshpande 2/21). — PTI

MI, SRH look to make winning comebacks

Hyderabad: Mumbai Indians will aim to land the killer punch after fluffing an easy run-chase in their opener when they meet a dangerous Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL here tomorrow. Five-time champions MI had a lot going for them in their tournament opener against Gujarat Titans, whether it was the incisive spells from pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Dewald Brevis’ impactful knock or Rohit Sharma’s fireworks at the top of the order. But MI, who have built a reputation of slow starters over the years, could not manage 48 runs off 36 balls with seven wickets in hand. With the 10-team event being more competitive than ever before, Mumbai cannot afford more such lackadaisical performances going forward. In his first game as Mumbai captain, Hardik pushed himself down the order at No. 7 to accommodate the likes of Tim David and Brevis higher up. Considering he batted much higher for the Gujarat Titans last year, there is a case for him to bat higher up the order. Opener Ishan Kishan, back to action after a long break, could only last four balls against GT. With the T20 World Cup in mind, his performances will be tracked closely and have added significance.