Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell's 21-ball 38 runs continued his rich vein of form where he left off against Rajasthan Royals (RR), against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Electing to bat first, KKR got off to a decent start, as Sunil Narine's 26 runs powered the team to 50 runs in the powerplay. However, his departure triggered a collapse of sorts. If not for Russell's blitz, then KKR would have finished way below 160 runs.
The KKR all-rounder peppered the short boundaries on either side of the wicket and punished CSK bowlers who kept bowling short. Manish Pandey scored 36 runs, also played a valuable hand, and helped KKR post a competitive score of 179 runs. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane stabilized the innings with a quick 33-ball 48-run knock. The right-hand batter kept the scoreboard ticking and took calculated risks.
For CSK, Noor Ahmad was the standout bowler, as he chipped in with two wickets. With the bowling gripping and turning, Noor made full use of the pitch. However, Ravi Ashwin failed to make the most of the Eden Gardens pitch. His lackluster form throughout the season has cost CSK a playoff berth.
KKR finish strongly, the onus on their spinners to keep CSK batters quite
With Noor getting considerable turn, KKR spin twins Vaun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine will be the key players for the team in the second innings of CSK's run chase. The spin duo is in good form also, as they have the most wickets for KKR this season. For CSK, Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis will be key players in the run chase.
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