Rampant Kolkata Knight Riders hand Chennai humbling loss at home

Kolkata Knight Riders delivered a ruthless performance to trounce a completely off-colour Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in a one-sided IPL clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, KKR’s bowlers made full use of a sluggish Chepauk surface to skittle CSK out for a mere 103 for nine, their lowest total ever at their home ground.

Chennai`s batting lineup looked utterly disjointed, crumbling under sustained pressure from the Knight Riders’ spin-heavy attack. Only three CSK batters managed to reach double digits – Shivam Dube top-scored with a gritty unbeaten 31, while Vijay Shankar chipped in with 29, and Rahul Tripathi added 16.

The visitors’ bowling unit was led expertly by veteran spinner Sunil Narine, who returned outstanding figures of 3 for 13 from his four overs. He was well supported by Harshit Rana (2 for 16) and Varun Chakravarthy (2 for 22), who ripped through CSK’s fragile middle order.

Despite the modest target, KKR didn’t take their foot off the pedal during the chase. Opener Sunil Narine continued his all-round show with a blistering 44 off just 27 balls, setting the tone early. Alongside him, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (25) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (17*) ensured that there were no hiccups.

The chase was wrapped up in just 10.1 overs, as the Knight Riders reached 107 for 2 with ease. It was a statement win that not only highlighted KKR’s growing momentum in the tournament but also exposed glaring weaknesses in CSK’s batting order.

For the Super Kings, it was a night to forget. With regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad sitting out due to injury, leadership duties fell on MS Dhoni. However, even his return to captaincy couldn’t inspire a turnaround. Batting collapses, questionable shot selections, and a lack of partnerships summed up Chennai’s forgettable outing.

The win gives KKR a crucial boost in the points table, while CSK, now reeling from multiple defeats, will need to regroup quickly before their campaign spirals further.

Brief scores:

Chennai Super Kings: 103/9 in 20 overs (Shivam Dube 31, Vijay Shankar 29; Sunil Narine 3/13)*

Kolkata Knight Riders: 107/2 in 10.1 overs (Sunil Narine 44; Noor Ahmad 1/8)