Virender Sehwag reacted to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) crushing 10-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab by saying that the momentum of the match shifted due to MS Dhoni’s captaincy, Ravindra Jadeja’s fielding and Shardul Thakur’s bowling in the 18th over of Punjab’s innings. Virender Sehwag said that ‘Diesel engine’ Shane Watson finally started and took KXIP players on a tour. He also added that only KXIP can bat first and lose a match in Dubai.
Chennai Super Kings registered an emphatic 10 wicket win over KXIP on Sunday. Fans of IPL and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were ecstatic with delight as the MS Dhoni-led side got over their three-match losing streak and registered a crushing 10-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) to roar back to form.
Virender Sehwag: Only KXIP Can Lose Batting 1st In Dubai
Before the win against KXIP, CSK had lost 3 consecutive matches out of their first 4 matches and were languishing at the bottom of the points table but the emphatic victory in Dubai has helped them rise to No. 6 position of the 8-team points table of IPL 2020. They lost against SRH, DC, RR after winning the opening match against MI.
Winning the toss and batting first in Dubai has been a fashion of sorts this season as teams doing so have emerged victorious every single time but KXIP brought an end to it on Sunday.
Reacting to the dismal performance for KL Rahul’s KXIP, Virender Sehwag said, “Only Punjab can lose the match even after batting first in Dubai.”
Former India and Kings XI Punjab opener hailed CSK skipper MS Dhoni’s captaincy, saying that it played a huge role in the shift of momentum in the 18th over of Punjab’s batting innings.
KL Rahul scored 63 and Nicholas Pooran scored 33 but KXIP could manage only 178/4 which was chased down quite comfortably by CSK. Shane Watson finally roared back to form.
Virender Sehwag: Shardul Thakur’s Bowling In 18th Over Brought Back Momentum In CSK’s Favour
MS Dhoni had introduced pacer Shardul Thakur to bowl the 18th over and he responded with two important wickets of a set and in-form batsmen Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul on the first two deliveries. KL Rahul’s wicket especially looked a well planned one.
Shardul Thakur bowled a full wide delivery which KL Rahul edged to MS Dhoni while trying to chase and hit it. Ravindra Jadeja also contributed in the over by taking a very well-judged catch of KXIP’s batsman Nicholas Pooran at the boundary line.
“18th over was the turning point of the match. MS Dhoni’s captaincy, Ravindra Jadeja’s fielding and Shardul Thakur’s bowling brought back the momentum in CSK’s favour,” Sehwag said a video uploaded by him on his Facebook handle.
Further, Virender Sehwag also praised CSK’s 39-year-old experienced Shane Watson in his very own unique manner. The veteran Australian all-rounder had joined forces with South African Faf du Plessis on Sunday to play a crushing 53-ball 83 knock.
Faf du Plessis also ended up scoring an unbeaten 87 off 53 balls and the result was CSK chasing down KXIP’s 179-run target with 14 balls remaining. Man of Match Shane Watson’s knock included 11 fours and three massive sixes. CSK won the match by 10 wickets as both their openers were not dismissed.
“By the way the thing which has been trying to start since 19th September, that diesel engine Watson finally started. He and ‘Sambha’ Faf du Plessis got together and took the Punjabi lads for a tour of the stadium, hitting the ball everywhere,” Virender Sehwag while talking about the special knock from the Australian legend.
CSK next take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on 7th October evening in the 21st match of IPL 2020.