Noor Ahmad spins CSK to comprehensive victory over KKR

In a nutshell

Not a single half-century was scored in Chennai Super Kings' innings, yet they managed to post 192 for 5 - the second-highest total without an individual 50-plus score in the IPL. Kolkata Knight Riders didn't even come close, restricted to 160 for 7 as CSK celebrated the Tamil New Year with a victory, their third win in succession on April 14.

Match in phases

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 192/5 in 20 overs [Sanju Samson 48 (32), Dewald Brevis 41 (29), Ayush Mhatre 38 (17); Kartik Tyagi 2-35] beat Kolkata Knight Riders 160/7 in 20 overs [Ramandeep Singh 35 (23), Rovman Powell 31* (22); Noor Ahmad 3-21, Anshul Kamboj 2-32] by 32 runs.

Who won CSK the match?

Noor Ahmad. With the openers falling inside the Powerplay, any chance of KKR staying in the game revolved around the middle order taking a proactive approach. However, they weren't allowed that thanks to Noor's regular strikes, while Akeal Hosein also did a good job from the other end to keep KKR in check.

A strong start despite opening stand not clicking again

For the fourth time in five outings, CSK's opening stand didn't last beyond the third over. And for the fifth time this season, Ruturaj Gaikwad had a short stay. The CSK captain had an edgy start, getting a boundary past slip off Cameron Green before he went for a slog sweep off Anukul Roy, only to find deep midwicket. But Sanju Samson had set the tempo in the opening over bowled by Vaibhav Arora with a hat-trick of fours. Ayush Mhatre, retired out in the previous game, came out with a point to prove as he dealt in regular boundaries and also struck two sixes off Green to power CSK past fifty in four overs. Samson got his first six off Anukul in the fifth over, continuing from where he left off last game. Arora bowled the final over of the Powerplay and leaked runs again, with Mhatre hitting a hat-trick of fours this time, although the youngster fell off the last ball of the sixth over for a 17-ball 38.

Brevis arrives!

The South African, who didn't get to bat last game, made an immediate impact in this, striking a six off Sunil Narine in his first over, while Varun Chakaravarthy, returning to the XI after missing two games, was hit for a four by Samson. The next ball saw the bat slip out of Samson's hands and he duly got a change of gloves after the over. Brevis got a leading edge off Narine that fell clear of the fielders, before Samson's six off Kartik Tyagi took CSK past 100 in the 10th over. It was a good start from Varun, though, keeping the batters quiet and conceding only 11 off his first two overs. Samson tried to ease the pressure with another six off Tyagi but was bowled soon after, two short of a fifty. KKR sneaked in a few economical overs before Sarfaraz Khan's six and Brevis' two fours, all in the 14th over off Varun, helped CSK regain the momentum.

Why didn't CSK get 200 then?

Thanks to Narine and Tyagi, who delivered a couple of key strikes. Although Arora went for 20 in the 16th over, Narine bagged the wicket of Sarfaraz and conceded only seven off his final over, and Tyagi picked up the big wicket of Brevis in a six-run over. Arora backed up those efforts with a nine-run 19th over, and Tyagi finished it off well, giving away only eight. The last four overs yielded only 30 runs, with Shivam Dube and Jamie Overton getting only a boundary each.

A stuttering start for KKR

Narine came out to open alongside Impact Player Finn Allen and struck a six off Khaleel Ahmed in the first over. He was reprieved by the CSK skipper and also added another six to his tally, along with a boundary. But it was CSK who dictated terms in the Powerplay. Allen got a leading edge off Anshul Kamboj and Narine got one off Khaleel. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi had a slow start, leaving KKR with only 36 for 2 - the third lowest Powerplay score this season.

How did spin trigger KKR's downfall?

KKR made much better progress after a slow Powerplay, with Raghuvanshi and Rahane getting a few boundaries and sixes en route a half-century stand. The two batters also got lucky breaks, with Brevis dropping a tough chance on the run to reprieve Raghuvanshi and Sarfaraz dropping Rahane. But Akeal Hosein managed to send Raghuvanshi back, with Brevis holding on to the catch this time. Noor Ahmed ended Rahane's stay, followed it up by dismissing Green for a first-ball duck, and then accounted for Rinku Singh in his next over to leave KKR in a lot of trouble at 90 for 6 in the 13th over. All Rovman Powell and Ramandeep Singh could do from thereon was to reduce the margin of defeat, which still was a hefty one.

A tale of different ends

Bowling from the V. Pattabhiraman Gate End proved challenging for the KKR bowlers, with 121/3 coming from that end at a run-rate of 12.1. At the opposite end, the Anna Pavilion End, it was 71/2 at a run-rate of 7.1. Spinners were the most effective from the Anna Pavilion End, bagging 2 for 45 in 8 overs, while they went for 23 in two wicketless overs from the Pattabhiraman end. From KKR's batting perspective, neither end helped - 80/4 from the Anna Pavilion end, and 80/3 from the V Pattabhiraman Gate end.

What next for the teams?

After two successive wins at home, CSK travel to Hyderabad to face SRH on April 18. Still winless after five matches, KKR head to Ahmedabad to face GT on April 17.