Ajit Karn
Ajinkya Rahane, after his match-winning innings in Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) 49-run Indian Premier League (IPL) victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), issued a warning to the other teams that his best is yet to come.
Sunday’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match between Chennai Super Kings(CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR) at Eden Gardens was won decisively by Chennai Super Kings due to the first innings performances of Ajinkya Rahane and Devon Conway and Maheesh Theekshana’s bowling.
“Just had a distinct state of mind. If the matter between your ears and your mind are correct, you will be alright. I am just attempting to enjoy my game. The wicket was a touch sticky, but once you’re in, your chances are excellent. We got off to a fantastic start, so I wanted to play my shots and keep the momentum going. I have appreciated all of my blows thus far, but I believe the greatest is yet to come. I played under Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) for India for many years, and even at CSK it has been a wonderful learning experience. “If you listen to what he says, you will perform more often than not,” Rahane said in a post-match interview.
Rahane is experiencing a renaissance of sorts during this IPL season, after being dropped from the Indian national Test squad since last year. In five matches, he has scored 209 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 199.04, with an average of 52.25. So far, he has scored two half-centuries, with his highest score being 71*.
CSK posted a colossal 235/4 in 20 overs after being put into bat by KKR.
Ruturaj Gaikwad (35 in 20 balls with two fours and three sixes) and Devon Conway (56 off 40 balls with four fours and three sixes) scored 73 runs for CSK’s opening stand. Conway scored his fourth consecutive fifty in the IPL.
After the dismissal of the openers, Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube exploded for 85 runs in just 34 deliveries for the third wicket. Rahane continued his comeback in competitive cricket with an explosive 71* off 29 deliveries that included six fours and five sixes. Dube also scored fifty in 21 deliveries, with two fours and five sixes. Ravindra Jadeja (18 off eight balls) performed a cameo role in the conclusion.
Kulwant Khejroliya (2/44 in three overs) was KKR’s most effective bowler. Each of Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma claimed a wicket.
KKR’s pursuit of 236 seemed doomed from the outset. They were in disarray at 70/4 after 8.2 overs. Nevertheless, a 65-run partnership between Jason Roy (61 runs in 26 deliveries with five fours and five sixes) and Rinku Singh gave KKR some hope.
Despite Rinku’s 53 off 33 deliveries with three fours and four sixes, KKR’s final score of 186/8 in 20 overs was 49 runs short of a victory.
The best bowler for CSK was Maheesh Theekshana, who finished with 2/32 in four overs. In four overs, Tushar Deshpande also captured 2 for 43. Each of Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Singh, and Mathisha Pathirana claimed a wicket.
His match-winning innings earned Rahane the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
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This victory places CSK at the summit of the standings with five wins and two losses. They have 10 points in total. KKR is in eighth place after losing five of seven games and winning only two. They have four points in total.
