IPL 2019: Tahir, Raina power CSK to five-wickets win over KKR at Eden Gardens

While Imran Tahir’s career best (4 for 27) restricted KKR to 161 for 8, Suresh Raina found his form back with a much-needed half century to help Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five-wickets at Eden Gardens on Sunday

Imran Tahir and Suresh Raina were in their best form to help Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five-wickets at Eden Gardens on Sunday. With another last-over win, Dhoni-led Chennai have extended their winning streak to four matches and now are placed at the top of the points table. While Imran Tahir’s career best (4 for 27) restricted KKR to 161 for 8, Suresh Raina found his form back with a much-needed half century.

Suresh Raina’s well-composed 58* https://t.co/3ZAs0mdbDE via @ipl

— Shivam Sharma (@Shivam_Sharma33) April 14, 2019

Apart from Raina, Ravindra Jadeja (31 off 17 balls) played important cameo as he smashed Harry Gurney for three successive fours to make it just a formality in the last over. CSK so far have just lost one game this season.

Ravindra Jadeja's powerpacked 31* (17) https://t.co/2rLzWggslT via @ipl

— Shivam Sharma (@Shivam_Sharma33) April 14, 2019

This was CSK’s first win at the Eden Gardens since 2013 as they did a double on KKR who suffered a hat-trick of defeats for the first time since 2014 and set to slip out of their second place in the table. Incidentally, 161 is their lowest score at the Eden this season. Sunil Narine was the pick of KKR bowling with figures 2/19 that included a wicket-maiden when he cleaned up Faf du Plessis (24) to end the powerplay. But Raina held on at the other end with significant partnerships including a 40-run stand with skipper MS Dhoni. It all seemed a walk in the park for CSK when Narine gave the biggest breakthrough dismissing Dhoni for 16 with team's score of 121/5, needing 41 runs from 26 balls. Earlier, 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 score.

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

— Shivam Sharma (@Shivam_Sharma33) April 14, 2019

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.