Cricket

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have etched their name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) record books by equaling Mumbai Indians' (MI) feat of five consecutive victories over Chennai Super Kings (CSK). This remarkable achievement was secured after a dominant 7-wicket win at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.PBKS's winning streak against CSK commenced in the 2021 IPL season and has continued unabated. Prior to this, MI held the record for the most successive wins against CSK, which they achieved between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.In addition to matching MI's record, PBKS also became the second franchise to record the most wins by a visiting team against CSK at Chepauk in the IPL. Mumbai Indians lead the way with five wins, while Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have three victories.The match itself was a one-sided affair, with PBKS effortlessly chasing down CSK's total of 163 with more than two overs to spare. Stand-in skipper Sam Curran's decision to bat first proved to be a masterstroke, as the dew factor made bowling difficult for CSK in the second half.Ruturaj Gaikwad top-scored for CSK with 62 off 48 deliveries, while MS Dhoni provided a late flourish with a quickfire 28. However, PBKS's batting lineup proved too strong, with Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw putting on a 64-run partnership to set the platform for victory.Curran and Shashank Singh then applied the finishing touches to seal a comprehensive 7-wicket win for PBKS. This victory not only extends their winning streak against CSK but also strengthens their position in the IPL standings.

Chennai Super Kings Aim to Capitalize on Home Advantage Against Punjab KingsThe Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be looking to make the most of their home comfort when they host the unpredictable Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 49 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Chepauk Stadium.CSK, the defending champions, have had an inconsistent campaign so far, winning five and losing four of their nine matches. They currently sit in the middle of the table with 10 points, alongside Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals. A win against PBKS would be crucial for CSK to break away from this gridlock.The Chepauk deck has been a different beast this season, offering some assistance to the bowlers. This was evident in CSK's impressive 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous match. The CSK bowlers, led by Mukesh Choudhary and Dwayne Bravo, defanged SRH's potent batting unit with their accuracy and variations.However, CSK will face a stern test against PBKS, who are coming into this match on the back of a remarkable victory. They chased down a mammoth 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders, the highest chase in the history of T20 cricket.PBKS have been unpredictable this season, but they have shown glimpses of their potential. Shikhar Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa have been in good form with the bat, while Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh have been impressive with the ball.The match promises to be a close contest between two evenly matched teams. CSK will be looking to capitalize on their home advantage and the Chepauk deck, while PBKS will be aiming to continue their momentum and upset the defending champions.

Virat Kohli, the prolific run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has yet to conquer the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai while representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Despite amassing 7263 runs in 237 IPL matches, Kohli's average at the Chepauk is a modest 30, with a strike rate of 111.10.Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Kohli needs to step up his performance at the Chepauk, especially against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL opener on March 22. "The greatness of Virat has been reduced in terms of his overall performance at that venue," Harbhajan said. "It's a tricky venue to bat, especially as an opening batsman against a sort of weird tennis ball type bounce."Kohli has been dismissed in the Powerplays three times in his last five innings against CSK, and Harbhajan emphasized the importance of extending his time at the crease. "If he's actually prepared to bat about 20 overs, then he can put together a match-winning performance," he said.Kohli has yet to score an IPL century at Chepauk, and his record against CSK is also underwhelming. In 30 matches against CSK, he has scored 985 runs, with a highest score of 90. Harbhajan believes Kohli needs to rediscover his 2016 form for RCB to challenge for the IPL title. "It's important for him to have a season like 2016, because if Virat goes on to score runs, the team will go forward," he said.In 2016, Kohli had an exceptional IPL season, amassing 973 runs from 16 matches, featuring four centuries and seven fifties. This remarkable performance still stands as the highest run-aggregate in a single IPL season.