In the 18th match of the IPL 2020, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) registered their second victory in this season after suffering three consecutive defeats as they easily beat Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) by 10 wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai).
Kings XI Punjab captain KL Rahul won the toss and decided to bat first. KXIP managed to put the first innings total of 178/4 (20 overs) on the scoreboard. In reply, CSK chased down that target in 17.4 overs without losing any wicket (181/0).
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) innings
Finally, CSK openers showed their power in this season. Experienced overseas openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis not only provided the solid start, but both of them dominated the opponent bowlers. Their outstanding batting performances converted the chasing process from challenging to easy.
Both the CSK openers completed their half-centuries in 11th over of that innings. While Watson completed his fifty in 31 balls, Du Plessis reached the same feat in 33 balls. They comfortably stretched their opening partnership further as they completed 150 runs partnership in 15th over.
On the 17.4 overs, the CSK openers successfully chased that target with the help of 181 runs partnership for the unbroken first wicket. While Watson scored 83 not out off 53 balls (11 fours and 3 sixes), Du Plessis was batting on 87 runs off 53 balls (11 fours and only six).
IPL 2020, Match 18: Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings (KXIP vs CSK) – Scorecard (2nd innings)
Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)
Openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal provided a good start with the 61 runs partnership for the opening wicket. Agarwal lost his wicket in the 9th over as Piyush Chawla dismissed him for 26 runs off 19 balls.
Mandeep Singh also played a quick knock of 27 runs off just 16 balls before Ravindra Jadeja took his wicket. Nicholas Pooran and Rahul handled the next situation and built up the 58 runs partnership for the third wicket. Captain Rahul completed his fifty in 46 balls.
However, at the crucial moment in the early death overs, Pooran and Rahul were dismissed on back-to-back deliveries. In the 18th over, while wicket-keeper batsman Pooran was dismissed on the first ball after scoring 33 runs off just 17 balls (only four and 3 sixes), Rahul lost his wicket on the next ball after scoring 63 runs off 52 balls (7 fours and only six) as Shardul Thakur took both those wickets.
IPL 2020, Match 18: Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings (KXIP vs CSK) – Scorecard (1st innings)
