CRICKET NEWS - Career-best bowling figures from Lungi Ngidi and an unbeaten half century from Suresh Raina handed the Chennai Super Kings a five-wicket victory over the Kings XI Punjab in the final round robin match of the Indian Premier League at the Maharashtra Association Cricket Stadium in Pune on Sunday.
Full Scorecard: Chennai v Punjab
Ngidi produced figures of 4-10 in four overs to help bowl the Kings XI out for 153 after MS Dhoni had won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first. Raina then controlled the chase to perfection, scoring 61 not out from 48 balls to guide Chennai to 159 for five with five balls remaining to set up a date with the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday in the first Qualifier.
Raina, who struck four boundaries and two sixes, shared in two vital partnerships with Deepak Chahar and Dhoni to guide his side home after the Kings XI had reduced the home side to 27 for three inside the Power Play.
Ankit Rajpoot (4-1-19-2) and Mohit Sharma (3.1-0-28-1) had Ambati Rayudu (1), Faf du Plessis (14) and Sam Billings (0) back in the hut after a fiery opening spell. Rayudu was first to go, caught behind by Lokesh Rahul off Sharma with a ball that shaped away beautifully. Raina and Du Plessis then added 24 for the second wicket before Rajpoot struck.
The right-arm fast bowler had Du Plessis brilliantly caught by Chris Gayle at first slip, with an audacious back-handed catch and then Rajpoot followed up with the next ball with a peach of a delivery that had Billings’ off stump knocked back.
