Batting first, CSK posted 220/3 on the board with Faf du Plessis remaining unbeaten on 95 off just 60 deliveries. His blistering knock was laced with four sixes and nine fours. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who added 115 runs in 12.2 overs for the opening wicket with Faf, made 64 in 42 balls.
Chasing the mammoth total, the Knight Riders started on a disastrous note as their top five batsmen could manage just 31 runs. CSK pacer Deepak Chahar dismantled KKR’s top order as he picked up 4 wickets for 29 runs.
Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik then rebuilt the KKR innings. Russel lost his wicket in the 12th over. He made 54 off 22 balls with the help of six sixes and three fours. Karthik was out for 40 after facing 24 balls.
Cummins then raised the hopes of an unlikely win for the Knight Riders as he hit 30 runs in Sam Curran’s third over. The Aussie raced to his fifty in just 23 balls and remained unbeaten on 66 (34) after losing partners at the other end. KKR were bundled out for 202 in 19.1 overs.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
#Dhoni's CSK are back at the ?! When mighty efforts by Russell and Cummins wasn't enough for win, you know CSK played like old CSK.
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) April 21, 2021
#KKR batsmen:
Top-5 – 28 runs, 32 balls, 5×4, 0x6
No. 6-8 – 160 runs, 80 balls, 11×4, 14×6
160 runs by Karthik, Russell & Cummins are the most by No. 6, 7, 8 combined for a team in an IPL innings. #CSKvKKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2021
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 21, 2021
Woooohoooooo watttteeeee game..!!! @ChennaiIPL #csk #Whistlepodu
— ????????? ??????????? (@varusarath5) April 21, 2021
Cummins to the last few KKR batsman #CSKvsKKR pic.twitter.com/5puR9zJs7w
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 21, 2021
What a knock from #PatCummins and #Russell from nowhere @KKR came so close. If one batsman would’ve played with Cummins the result would have been different. #CSKvKKR #IPL2021
— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) April 21, 2021
What a knock from Pat Cummins – unbeaten on 66 off just 34! ?? #IPL2021
— Kritika Naidu (@Kritzika) April 21, 2021
So near yet so far. That was an incredible innings from Pat Cummins. Could have been the greatest ever IPL chase. But to get from 31 for 5 to 202, @KKRiders can be very proud. Congratulations to @ChennaiIPL on the win. They are on a roll. #CSKvsKKR pic.twitter.com/miAqq1Fwb6
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) April 21, 2021
What a thrilling match it was!?
Well played everyone #csk
And #kkr for giving tough fight?#IPL2021 #KKRvCSK
— Malti Chahar?? (@ChaharMalti) April 21, 2021
What a match! #PatCummins turned it around and almost snatched victory from jaws of defeat for #KKR! But #deepakchahar’s throw from deep finally helped #CSK to sail through!#CSKvKKR
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) April 21, 2021
Pat Cummins in today's match be like ? pic.twitter.com/enPD5pjara
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) April 21, 2021
What a match! @KKRiders were so close, amazing comeback from 31/5 to fight back like this, incredible to watch @patcummins30 , Russell and @DineshKarthik to take it to the end! @ChennaiIPL should consider themselves lucky after tonight! #KKRvCSK
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) April 21, 2021
Phew!! Edge of the seat finish not just for the ones watching at home but even for us in the commentary box ?️ Loved calling it. @IPL at its very BEST #KKRvCSK #IPL2021
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) April 21, 2021
What a spell my brother @deepak_chahar9 ?? So proud and happy for you. Totally on fire ?#CSKvsKKR
— Rahul Chahar (@rdchahar1) April 21, 2021
Pat Cummins striking 30 off that Sam Curran over is the 57th instance of a single batsman scoring 30+ runs off a single over in T20 history. #IPL2021 #KKRvCSK
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 21, 2021
CSK wins by 18 runs! But wow did KKR put up a fight. Ended up being closer than I thought that’s for sure! Sleep is coming now, it’s almost 4am. Shubh ratri family. See you tomorrow for some #RCB fun! ? #KKRvCSK #IPL2021
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) April 21, 2021
The game is the winner! ?#KKRvCSK #WhistlePodu #Yellove ??
— Chennai Super Kings – Mask P?du Whistle P?du! (@ChennaiIPL) April 21, 2021
Aakhri dum tak, aakhri run tak.#KKRvCSK #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/JaddZvWnjs
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 21, 2021
#KKRvCSK had everything
1. Top batting from Ruturaj & Faf
2. MSD finally hitting a boundary off Narine in the IPL
3. Chahar took 4 in PP & 3 from Ngidi
4. KKR 31/5 & then top innings from Russell,DK (in his 200th IPL game) & Cummins
What a match!CSK are at the top of the table
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) April 21, 2021
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