IPL 2020, CSK vs KXIP as it happened: CSK cruise to a nine-wicket win thanks to Gaikwad, Rayudu

CSK 154/1 after 18.5 overs (Gaikwad 62, Rayudu 30)

CSK beat KXIP by 9 wickets. KXIP are knocked out of the tournament. Third win on the trot for CSK – beat KKR, RCB and KXIP and all three could end up being eliminated because of that.

CSK 149/1 after 18 overs (Gaikwad 60, Rayudu 27)

Chennai Super Kings need 5 runs in 12 balls. This is the kind of CSK that other teams learned to fear. So calm and mature in the chase. Gaikwad looks like a player they can build around.

CSK 138/1 after 17 overs (Gaikwad 54, Rayudu 26)

Chennai Super Kings need 16 runs in 18 balls. Well controlled chase. KXIP just haven’t been given a sniff today.

CSK 130/1 after 16 overs (Gaikwad 52, Rayudu 20)

Gaikwad gets to his fifty with a wonderful four. 51 off 38 balls. Wonderful knock. Third fifty in a row. Chennai Super Kings need 24 runs in 24 balls.

CSK 118/1 after 15 overs (Gaikwad 42, Rayudu 18)

Ashwin’s spell comes to an end (4 overs, 17 runs). No wickets for him. CSK continue to inch closer to the target. Chennai Super Kings need 36 runs in 30 balls.

CSK 113/1 after 14 overs (Gaikwad 41, Rayudu 14)

Four off the last ball makes it a 10-run over. Chennai Super Kings need 41 runs in 36 balls. Gaikwad is showing great maturity in the chase.

CSK 103/1 after 13 overs (Gaikwad 32, Rayudu 13)

Chennai Super Kings need 51 runs in 42 balls. M Ashwin has conceded just 12 runs in his 3 overs but KXIP need wickets and they haven’t managed to get them so far.

CSK 99/1 after 12 overs (Gaikwad 30, Rayudu 11)

Chennai Super Kings need 55 runs in 48 balls and as long as they keep getting the odd boundary, they will win easily. Rayudu got it for them in the Bishnoi over.

CSK 89/1 after 11 overs (Gaikwad 28, Rayudu 4)

Chennai Super Kings need 65 runs in 54 balls. A very controlled chase so far. KXIP need a few wickets to come back into this and put pressure on CSK.

CSK 82/1 after 9.5 overs (Gaikwad 25)

WICKET! Finally, KXIP break the opening stand. Jordan’s slower ball was far too good for du Plessis, who attempted the scoop and the ball went only as far as Rahul. Solid innings by du Plessis, he has set it up for CSK.

du Plessis c Rahul b Jordan 48(34)

CSK 72/0 after 9 overs (Gaikwad 25, du Plessis 38)

Still no wickets lost and that is CSK’s biggest advantage at the moment. They also know exactly how they need to pace the chase – need 80 runs in 65 balls.

CSK 69/0 after 8 overs (Gaikwad 24, du Plessis 36)

It looked like Gaikwad was caught off the fifth ball off the Bishoi over but the TV umpire ruled that Mandeep grounded the ball. Off the very next ball, Gaikwad cut the ball to the boundary.

CSK 62/0 after 7 overs (Gaikwad 19, du Plessis 34)

Spinners in operation from both ends now. A vital phase in the game.

CSK 57/0 after 6 overs (Gaikwad 17, du Plessis 31)

Du Plessis started the last over of the Powerplay with a four and six to put the pressure on young Bishnoi right away. 13 runs off the over. Chennai Super Kings need 97 runs in 84 balls. Superb start to the chase.

CSK 44/0 after 5 overs (Gaikwad 17, du Plessis 21)

12 runs from the over, the highlight of which was a superbly timed cover drive by Gaikwad. Shami overpitched it just a little and Gaikwad threaded it through the infield and to the boundary. Pure timing.

CSK 32/0 after 4 overs (Gaikwad 12, du Plessis 14)

10 over off the Neesham over that included a dropped catch (Hooda) and a scooped six. CSK are slowly starting to get going. The key overs will be from the two leg-spinners.

CSK 22/0 after 3 overs (Gaikwad 11, du Plessis 5)

One lovely six by Gaikwad from the Jordan over showed that he is seeing the ball today as well. A good Powerplay will go a long way in this innings.

CSK 11/0 after 2 overs (Gaikwad 1, du Plessis 4)

6 dot balls and 5 wides from the Shami over. One wide delivery that beat the keeper spoiled a very good over for Shami.

CSK 6/0 after 1 over (Gaikwad 1, du Plessis 4)

Bit of a surprise to see Neesham get the new balls – defensive move or do they think his lack of pace might be the way to go on this wicket?

Neesham, not Shami, has the new ball for KXIP. The CSK innings is all set to begin.

KXIP 153/6 after 20 overs (Hooda 62, Jordan 4)

Hooda’s late blast takes KXIP to 153/6 at the end of their 20 overs. He made 62* off 30 balls. 76 runs off the last 7 over. At least, KXIP have something to bowl at now.

KXIP 139/6 after 19 overs (Hooda 50, Jordan 3)

Deepak Hooda hits his way to a brilliant 50 — just what the doctor had ordered for KXIP. 50 off just 26 balls. He has picked the gaps in the field especially well.

KXIP 129/6 after 18 overs (Hooda 43, Jordan 0)

Wicket off the first ball but then Hooda hit two sixes to make it a good over for KXIP. 16 runs off it.

KXIP 113/6 after 17.1 overs (Hooda 25)

WICKET! What a catch by Ruturaj Gaikwad to end Neesham’s innings. Another wicket for Ngidi.

Neesham c Ruturaj Gaikwad b Ngidi 2(3)

KXIP 108/5 after 16.2 overs (Hooda 25)

WICKET! Jadeja ends Mandeep’s little innings. Gets one to skid onto the stumps.

Mandeep b Jadeja 14(15)

KXIP 107/4 after 16 overs (Mandeep 14, Hooda 24)

Hooda making the most of his time in the middle with some nice shots – including a lovely six off Tahir over the longer part of the ground.

KXIP 95/4 after 15 overs (Mandeep 12, Hooda 14)

Just 30 runs in the last 5 overs for KXIP. This is when they should have been accelerating but CSK have pulled things back very well.

KXIP 88/4 after 14 overs (Mandeep 10, Hooda 9)

11 runs from the Chahar over – KXIP get a good over after a while. Mandeep keeping them afloat for the moment.

KXIP 72/4 after 11.5 overs (Mandeep 3)

WICKET! One 41-year-old gets the wicket of the other 41-year-old. Tahir traps Gayle LBW. Gayle opted for the review, it didn’t help.

Gayle lbw b Tahir 12(19)

KXIP 68/3 after 10.4 overs (Gayle 11)

WICKET! Thakur gets another wicket for CSK now. Pooran walking back now. Went for the pull, got the edge through to Dhoni. Where was this CSK all season long?

Pooran c Dhoni b Thakur 2(6)

KXIP 65/2 after 10 overs (Gayle 9, Pooran 1)

The wickets and good bowling by Nagidi and Tahir have slowed this KXIP innings down. The commentators are saying this is a very good pitch for batting and KXIP should be looking at 200 but that doesn’t quite look possible now.

KXIP 62/2 after 8.3 overs (Gayle 7)

WICKET! Ngidi’s slower ball sends back Rahul. Big wicket this. Rahul played all over it and got bowled.

Rahul b Ngidi 29(27)

KXIP 61/1 after 8 overs (Rahul 29, Gayle 6)

Tahir into the attack and he doesn’t get too much turn but gives away just 5 runs. KXIP need to pick things up again.

KXIP 56/1 after 7 overs (Rahul 27, Gayle 3)

A bit of a slow down after the wicket but that is to be expected. Still, with the Powerplay overs done, the spinners will come into the picture soon and that is when things will get interesting.

KXIP 48/1 after 5.2 overs (Rahul 22)

WICKET! Agarwal edges one back onto the stumps. Ngidi gets the breakthrough CSK so badly wanted. Cross-seam delivery, came back into the batsman a bit, Agarwal’s attempted pull shot didn’t work well.

Agarwal b Ngidi 26(15)

KXIP 44/0 after 5 overs (Agarwal 22, Rahul 22)

Thakur into the attack and 10 runs off the over. Rahul and Agarwal just seem so comfortable in the middle. They need to make this start count. One of them needs to keep accelerating and put the pressure on CSK.

KXIP 34/0 after 4 overs (Agarwal 21, Rahul 13)

11 runs from the Curran over. Agarwal using the field restrictions well and hitting the ball over the infield.

KXIP 23/0 after 3 overs (Agarwal 12, Rahul 11)

One loose ball from Chahar and Rahul threw his hands at it, got a top edge and it got him six runs. Both the openers are settling in.

KXIP 14/0 after 2 overs (Agarwal 11, Rahul 3)

Steady over by Sam Curran, who has been such a start for CSK. There is some swing on offer and that should help both Chahar and Curran.

KXIP 10/0 after 1 over (Agarwal 9, Rahul 1)

First over gone and Agarwal already showing that he isn’t going to just hang around. He was aggressive against Chahar and got two fours in the over.

The Kings XI openers are out in the middle. And after missing a few matches, Mayank Agarwal is back too.

3.08 pm: Playing XIs
CSK: Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (w/c), N Jagadeesan, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir.
KXIP: KL Rahul (w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, James Neesham, Deepak Hooda, Chris Jordan, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami.

3.02 pm: TOSS – MS Dhoni has won the toss and CSK will bowl first at Abu Dhabi!

IPL 2020: In Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni and CSK have a spark to ignite their hopes for next season

02.50 pm: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of match No 53 at IPL 2020. It’s the battle between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings, your annual match No 14 for both teams.

For CSK, it’s the last dance today of the season. For KXIP, it’s everything to play for and a defeat ends their race to playoffs.

What a season this is turning out to be. After 52 matches, only one team has mathematically qualified for the playoffs. Here’s how the points table looks like at the moment: