In the 33rd game of the ongoing IPL 2023, Kolkata Knight Riders played host to Chennai Super Kings. Ahead of the game, the home team was coming off three back-to-back losses in the tournament and has only two wins in six games. On the other hand, CSK had four wins in six games and was coming off two back-to-back wins.
Meanwhile, in this game, the two-time winners, Knight Riders won the toss and elected to bowl first. This decision turned out to be a nightmare for the former champions. Apparently, the likes of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad provided a great start with 73 runs in 7.3 overs. The latter was the first wicket to fall after scoring 35 off 20 balls. At this stage, in-form Ajinkya Rahane came out to bat.
Even though his partnership with Conway was slow (36 off 28), the former made up for it with Shivam Dube. After Conway got out at the individual score of 56 off 40 balls, Dube came and started the carnage in no time. He and Rahane put together 85 runs off just 32 balls. While Dube scored 50 off 21 balls, Rahane scored 71 not out off 29 balls. Ravindra Jadeja (18) also put his hand up and the team reached 235/4.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ middle order tried their best but it wasn’t to be
In reply, the Purple Brigade got off to a poor start as they lost three wickets for 46 runs. With the fall of wickets, the required run rate was ever increasing with Jason Roy couldn’t open the batting due to an injury. After the fall of the third wicket in the form of Venkatesh Iyer, Roy came out to bat.
At the time, the team needed 190 runs in 12.5 overs. The 2019 World Cup winner tried his best with 61 off 26 balls including five fours and as many sixes. The hero against Gujarat Titans, Rinku Singh (53*) also tried his best but the required run rate was pretty much out of reach, not mathematically though. In the end, the team lost the game by 49 runs.
This is how Twitter reacted
This is the same Rahane who played for KKR last year!
7 matches for 133 runs at an average of 19 and a strike rate just about a 100.— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) April 23, 2023
Current Shivam Dube is better than any version of Yuvraj Singh.
You can’t change my mind. pic.twitter.com/6hKzyoowy8
— ` (@rahulmsd_91) April 23, 2023
#CSK inching close to the play offs with this win!!
Big win tonight for them. #CSKvsKKR #IPLonJioCinema #TATAIPL #AJIOMatchCentreLIVE— Dhawal Kulkarni (@dhawal_kulkarni) April 23, 2023
Three consecutive wins in IPL 2023:
RR
MI
CSKCSK with 3 successive wins reach the top of the points table with 10 points #KKRvsCSK pic.twitter.com/Q4lNOFtUrh
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 23, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo's influence in IPL is increasing every day. The GOAT ? #KKRvsCSK #RCBvsRR #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/ae8jv2Elcz
— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima) April 23, 2023
This is Rahane from Rajasthan Royals days or even better. pic.twitter.com/O4hZCQAn1n
— Bhawana (@bhawnakohli5) April 23, 2023
This IPL season is a testimony to the fact that Ajinkya Rahane is a confidence player, there was never a question on Rahane's class. In 2015 Dhoni dropped Rahane and in 2023 Dhoni revived Rahane.#KKRvsCSK #CSKvsKKR #CricketTwitter #rahane
— Manoj Dimri (@manoj_dimri) April 23, 2023
Thank u @RCBTweets .. Top of the table now. #CSK
— ??????????? (@iamkarki) April 23, 2023
Congratulations @ChennaiIPL on topping the points table. An all-round domination vs KKR. #IPL2023
— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) April 23, 2023
Points table la number One
Me #CSK fan… ??? pic.twitter.com/pAXpLmjupn
— Niranjan kumar (@niranjan2428) April 23, 2023
CSK won by 49 runs on 23rd April.
A perfect tribute to RCB pic.twitter.com/3SB5kWtdC5— Div? (@div_yumm) April 23, 2023
