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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed some epic clashes between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) over the years. The two sides are all set to square off in the 49th match of the IPL 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The two teams have faced each other 28 times in the previous 16 editions of the tournament, and CSK have a slight edge over PBKS with 15 wins compared to the latter’s 13. While breaching CSK’s fortress Chepauk is difficult, PBKS have managed to do it thrice in seven games that the two sides have played at this venue.
CSK have not defeated PBKS since the 2021 edition, facing losses in the four games played against the Punjab-based outfit between 2022-2023. This time, the defending champions find themselves in the top half of the points table, while Punjab languish in the bottom half.
Over the years, several players have put up memorable performances in the CSK-PBKS matches. On that note, let us look at the top three bowling spells from the two sides' previous contests.
#3 Deepak Chahar (CSK) - 4/13 in IPL 2021
This was the last time CSK clinched a win against PBKS, and Deepak Chahar played a key role in the Yellow outfit’s victory that year. Squaring off at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, CSK bagged a six-wicket win to strengthen their case early in the tournament.
Under the captaincy of the then-skipper KL Rahul, PBKS could manage to post only 106 runs on the board for the loss of eight wickets, after being put to bat first. Chahar made sure none of the opposition batters got going as he gave away just 13 runs in his four-over spell, including a maiden.
Chahar ran through Punjab’s top and middle-order lineup, dismissing Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda to pick four out of the first five wickets for CSK. He ended up registering figures of 4/13 before CSK batters chased down the 107-run target with ease.
#2 Lungi Ngidi (CSK) - 4/10 in IPL 2018
Lungisani Ngidi ripped apart Punjab’s batting order by producing a dream spell of 4/10, in his four-over quota, in the last league-stage match of IPL 2016 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune.
CSK, who made a comeback that year after a two-year suspension from the league, had confirmed their place in the top four and the win against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) boosted their confidence ahead of the playoffs.
Ngidi and Chahar joined hands in the powerplay to reduce the opposition to 16/3 in four overs of the first innings. After picking up wickets of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle early on, Ngidi went on to dismiss Ravichandran Ashwin and Andrew Tye as CSK bowled out the Punjab outfit for 153 in 19.4 overs.
The Men in Yellow did face difficulties while chasing the target as they lost their openers inside the powerplay. But a composed half-century by Suresh Raina followed by Deepak Chahar and MS Dhoni’s fireworks towards the end helped CSK complete the chase, thereby finishing second on the points table.
#1 Lakshmipathy Balaji (CSK) - 5/24 in IPL 2008
This game found its place in the history books as Lakshmipathy Balaji, representing CSK in the inaugural edition of the tournament, achieved a landmark by becoming the first-ever bowler to pick a hat-trick in IPL.
Chasing a target of 182 runs, Punjab needed 27 to win off the final over with four wickets to spare. Defending 19 runs off the final four deliveries, Balaji bamboozled the opposition’s lineup by picking up a wicket off the third, fourth, and fifth ball of the last over.
After dismissing Ramnaresh Sarvan and Shaun Marsh earlier in the innings, Balaji bagged a hat-trick in the final over and also completed a five-wicket haul. His bowling heroics meant Punjab were restricted to 163/9 in the chase as CSK completed an 18-run victory. Balaji was adjudged the Player of the Match for registering fabulous figures of 4-0-25-5.
