Chennai Super Kings are currently hosting Kings XI Punjab in a must-win match for the latter. Coming into this match with a lot of equations against them, batting first KXIP could only muster 153 as Karun Nair was the only one who provided some substance with the bat this time around. He scored a 26 ball 54 as the CSK bowlers led by Lungi Ngidi stifled the KXIP batsmen from hitting big shots.
Ngidi finished with 4 for 10 in his spell and was ably helped in the process by Shardu Thakur and Dwayne Bravo who took two each. Bravo in the process surpassed R Ashwin to become the leading wicket-taker for CSK.
Kings XI now will need to keep CSK under a hundred as they need to win by a margin of 53 runs to get a place in the playoffs.
Twitterverse had their thoughts regarding the first half as well. Here are the best tweets from the Punjab innings.
On a tough surface @DavidMillerSA12 has come in and showed positive intent, good game plan to moving ball, and the ability to put bad balls away.
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) May 20, 2018
Why wait till the last game to play him?
(I don’t care if he gets out now, he’s good enough to have played more.)
Don't think we need to worry about that 53 run win margin for #KXIP for a while! This is a magnificent track to play cricket on in Pune and the fast bowlers are enjoying bowling on it
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 20, 2018
— RK (@RK_sports) May 20, 2018
Exhibition seam bowling from the #CSK quicks, especially lungi Ngidi, nice to see #IPL2018 #CSKvKXIP
— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) May 20, 2018
Lungi dance at Pune
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 20, 2018
Has the party already started in Jaipur??? ???????? #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 20, 2018
An interesting stat-
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 20, 2018
Whenever Delhi Daredevils finishes at the last position in the points table, the team who finishes at the second position in that season has won the IPL.
2011 - CSK
2013 - MI
2014 - KKR @ChennaiIPL will be happy :)#DDvMI
Lungi Ngidi certainly created a stir at Pune today. Will feature amongst one of the finest spells this season. Sheer pace and accuracy. @ChennaiIPL should be able to chase this down #CSKvKXIP
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) May 20, 2018