Chennai Super Kings endured a crushing defeat at home against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. With Ruturaj Gaikwad sidelined, MS Dhoni returned as captain, but it made little difference. The loss marked Chennai’s fifth in a row their worst streak in IPL history. Meanwhile, Kolkata soared to third in the standings with the emphatic win.
Chennai were restricted to just 103/9 in their 20 overs their lowest-ever IPL total at home. Shivam Dube was the top scorer with a sluggish 31 off 29 balls. KKR made light work of the chase, reaching the target in just 10.1 overs. Sunil Narine blazed 44 off 18 balls, while Quinton de Kock contributed 23 off 16.
Chennai Super Kings have now lost five out of six games, leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Following their latest batting collapse, they’ve slipped to ninth in the points table with a net run rate of -0.010. Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad, both having played one match less, sit just above and below them based on NRR.
At the top, Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals lead the standings with four wins each. Gujarat holds the top spot with a strong net run rate of +1.413, despite playing one extra match. Delhi remains unbeaten with a +1.278 run rate. Kolkata Knight Riders, boosted by their dominant win over Chennai, now have three victories from six matches and the biggest net run rate gain (+0.803), joining a cluster of teams with identical win records.
