IPL 2019 KKRvsCSK: Tahir's four-for derails KKR to 161/8

CSK's Imran Tahir spun the match in favour of Chennai and attain his career-best IPL figures that took him past Kagiso Rabada in the leading wicket-takers' tally.

Chris Lynn's superb knock at the Eden Gardens went in vain after Chennai Super Kings star bowler Imran Tahir gatecrashed Lynn's party with figures of four for 27. It seemed that Kolkata would completely dominate the visitors until CSK bowlers helped their team bounce back to restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to a below-par 161 for 8. So far, spinners have not had good season bowling when it comes to the Eden Gardens pitch but Tahir spun the match in favour of Chennai and attain his career-best IPL figures that took him past Kagiso Rabada in the leading wicket-takers' tally. Tahir removed an ominous-looking Chris Lynn (82 off 51 balls; 7x4, 6x6) and in a space of five balls removed the dangerous Andre Russell (10) for the first time under a score of 40 this season to put brakes on their scoring.

Imran Tahir spins a web with 4/27 https://t.co/RXLcE1ghPr via @ipl

— Shivam Sharma (@Shivam_Sharma33) April 14, 2019

But it was a different script for KKR early on with a fit-again Lynn giving them a flying start en route to his second fifty this season that came off just 36 balls. A 200-plus total looked imminent with Lynn looking dangerous and Russell starting to explode with a boundary and a six off Tahir.

Chris Lynn's smashing 82(51) https://t.co/vkZ9RBQCdY via @ipl

— Shivam Sharma (@Shivam_Sharma33) April 14, 2019

But Tahir, aided by some brilliant catching from Faf du Plessis and the substitute Dhruv Shorey, made inroads removing Nitish Rana (21) and Robin Uthappa (0) in space of two balls. CSK's catching was exceptional with Du Plessis charging in from long-off to dismiss Uthappa off first ball, then Shradul Thakur at deep square leg clung onto a flat hit from Lynn.

That 'Faf'ulous catch by du Plessis https://t.co/RIQSnCvRzR via @ipl

— Shivam Sharma (@Shivam_Sharma33) April 14, 2019

The big one was that of Shorey when he charged in for a swerving low catch to get rid off Russell, who looked in his usual explosive zone with 10 runs from 4 balls (1x4, 1x6).