Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs in an IPL thriller on Monday. Shikhar Dhawan scored an unbeaten 88 off 59 balls and led Punjab Kings to a score of 187/4 in their 20 overs.
While PBKS struggled to score in the first 10 overs, Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa changed gears in the last five after which Liam Livingstone gave them a boost in his short stay in the middle.
Dhawan hit nine fours and two sixes in his 59-ball superlative unbeaten knock to power Punjab to 187 for 4 after being asked to bat.
Dhawan also became only the second batter after Virat Kohli to complete 6,000 runs in IPL history.
In a Reply, Ambati Rayudu smashed 78 off 39 balls but he ran out of energy towards the end as he got out to a visibly tired shot. studded with seven fours and six sixes.
MS Dhoni then came in and threatened to smash the required 27 runs off the last over but Rishi Dhawan did well to keep his nerve as PBKS restricted CSK to 176/6.
Rayudu hit three consecutive sixes and a four to take 23 runs from the 16th over bowled by Sandeep Sharma (1/40) after CSK needed 70 runs from the last five overs.
But Arshdeep Singh conceded just six runs in the next over and eight in the 19th to tilt the scale towards Punjab.
After Rayudu was out in the 18th over off Kagiso Rabada (2/23), CSK still needed 35 runs from 13 balls and the great finisher Mahendra Singh Dhoni (12) joined captain Ravindra Jadeja (21 not out) in the middle.
Shivam Dube showed promise but then his innings lasted just eight balls and seven runs as CSK were reduced to 40 for 3 in seven overs
CSK needed 27 from the final over and another stage was set for Dhoni to repeat his stupendous finishing act against Mumbai Indians in their previous match.
Dhoni hit Rishi Dhawan (2/39) for a six in the first ball but two balls later, the legendary wicketkeeper batter was caught at deep midwicket as it was all over for CSK.
This was CSK’s sixth loss in eight matches while Punjab notched up their fourth win in eight games.