CSK VS PBKS: Shreyas Iyer Stars As Punjab Kings Go Top With Back To Back Wins, CSK Remain Winless Without MS Dhoni

· Free Press Journal

Punjab Kings put in a dominant performance to make it back to back wins with a 5-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings at the Chepauk. Chasing 210, Shreyas Iyer slammed a half-century while the openers chipped in with quick-fire starts to pull a win. CSK meanwhile now have two defeats in two games in the absence of MS Dhoni.

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Punjab Kings got off to a flyer with Priyansh Arya tearing the CSK pace attack to shreds early on. The left-hander blasted 39 off just 11 balls to allow Prabhsimran to settle into his rhythm.

Singh and Cooper Connolly were motoring along well, keeping Punjab well in control of the run rate. A quick throw from Sarfaraz Khan ended Prabhsimran's knock at 43. Connolly was also soon dismissed but not before he snatched the Orange Cap from KKR's Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

Once Cooper was dismissed, it was the Shreyas Iyer show. The PBKS captain read the conditions brilliantly and put in a full blown assault. He struck some monstrous sixes, picked the gaps beautifully. He smashed a half-century off just 26 balls, before being dismissed in the same over.

Iyer however had done his job, with PBKS only needing 24 runs off 3 overs. Nehal Wadhera was also dismissed soon, throwing caution to the wind. However, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh struck a few boundaries to see off the score with 8 balls to spare.

CSK VS PBKS: Captain Shreyas Iyer Slams 29-Ball 50 In Statement Knock At Chepauk | VIDEO

Earlier, Shreyas Iyer won the toss and put CSK into bat first in their first home game of the season. Sanju Samson departed for a low score but it was Ayush Mhatre who struck a stunning half-century to keep CSK in the hunt of a big total.

Some masterful bowling from Yuzvendra Chahal meant that Chennai did lose momentum in the middle, with Shivam Dube also taking some time to settle in. It was Sarfaraz Khan, who injected pace into the innings with a quick-fire 32. Dube then joined with a few boundaries late in the innings to power CSK to 209.

The score did not prove to be enough as the hosts succumbed to their 6th consecutive loss at Chepauk. Talisman MS Dhoni's absence is hurting the franchise, who remains unavailable due to injury.

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