In a crucial game of the league stage, Chennai washes off the play-off hopes for Punjab. Chennai that had been already out of the league to catch the train to play-offs, showcased a majestic performance in its last league stage game to claim a 9-wicket win against Punjab.
Detailed Match Report
The encounter that was supposed to decide the future of Punjab in the tournament, started off in favor of Chennai. Being put to bat first, Punjab managed to achieve a total of 153 runs at a loss of 6 wickets. The team did look strong with the return of Mayank Agarwal, one of the star players for the team. The opening duo of the team, Rahul & Agarwal managed to quick start the team's inning with a partnership of 48 runs before, Ngidi got the better of Agarwal, making him find his way back. What followed was a series of setbacks for Punjab as the wickets kept falling quickly. KL Rahul too fell prey to Ngidi's bowling attack & had to wrap up his inning at a mere score of 29 runs. Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, and Mandeep Singh managed to pull off 12, 2, and 14 runs respectively. Deepak Hooda's 62 off 30 balls powered by three boundaries and four sixes, helped Punjab stay in the race and end their inning with a respectable total; however, not defendable.
Chennai played a well-balanced inning with both the bat and the ball. Lungi Ngidi turned out to be the most efficient with the ball, picking 3 crucial wickets for the yellow army. Imran Tahir, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur managed to bag 1 wicket each. The openers Deepak Hooda & Faf du Plessis provided a terrific start to Chennai's inning with an amazing partnership of 82 runs before Chris Jordan succeeded in displacing du Plessis. Hooda was joined by Ambati Rayudu for helped him get to the shore & clinch a 9-wicket win for Chennai.
Star Player of the Match
Rituraj Gaikwad. Playing an unbeatable masterclass inning of 62 runs off 49 balls, the right-handed young batsman helped Chennai achieve the ultimate win.
Top 5 Players who made an impact in the game
Lungi Ngidi: 4-0-39-3
Rituraj Gaikwad: 62 (49)
Deepak Hooda: 62 (30)
Faf du Plessis: 48 (34)
Ambati Rayudu: 30 (30)
