KKR vs CSK: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) delivered a stunning all-round performance in the 28th match of IPL 2025, defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 8 wickets at Eden Gardens. The night marked MS Dhoni’s return as CSK captain, but even his legendary presence couldn’t stop KKR’s dominance. A brilliant bowling display led by Sunil Narine and a blazing knock from Ajinkya Rahane powered KKR to victory in just 10.1 overs.
CSK Collapse to 103/9 Despite Dube’s Resistance
Batting first, CSK looked completely out of rhythm. Despite the return of MS Dhoni as captain, Chennai’s batting lineup failed to fire. KKR’s spin duo of Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy dismantled the CSK middle-order, leaving little room for recovery.
Shivam Dube showed some resistance with a gritty unbeaten 31, while Devon Conway and Vijay Shankar chipped in with brief starts. However, no other batter could survive the spin storm.
Top Batters – Chennai Super Kings
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shivam Dube | 31 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 106.90 |
| Vijay Shankar | 29 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 138.10 |
| Tripathi | 16 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 72.73 |
Narine, Rana and Varun Lead Bowling Charge
KKR bowlers came out firing on all cylinders. Sunil Narine, who has been in top form, took 3 crucial wickets for just 13 runs, including the big scalps of Jadeja and Dhoni.
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Harshit Rana (2/16) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/22) were equally effective.
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Moeen and Vaibhav Arora also picked up wickets to keep CSK under pressure.
Top Bowlers – Kolkata Knight Riders
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | 4 | 13 | 3 | 3.20 |
| Harshit Rana | 4 | 16 | 2 | 4.00 |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | 4 | 22 | 2 | 5.50 |
KKR Chase Down Target in 10.1 Overs – Narine Blasts 44
Chasing 104 was never going to be tough for KKR, and Sunil Narine made it even easier with a whirlwind 44 off 18 balls. He launched 5 sixes in his carnage, making the chase a walk in the park.
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Quinton de Kock (23 off 16) gave a quick start.
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Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh wrapped it up with calmness.
Top Batters – Kolkata Knight Riders
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | 44 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 244.44 |
| Quinton de Kock | 23 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 143.75 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 20* | 17 | 1 | 1 | 117.65 |
CSK Bowling – No Firepower Despite Captain Cool’s Return
The CSK bowling attack lacked intensity. Even with Dhoni back calling the shots, the bowlers had no answers to KKR’s power-hitting.
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Only Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj managed a wicket each.
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Others like Khaleel and Ashwin were taken apart by Narine & Co.
Top Bowlers – Chennai Super Kings
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noor Ahmad | 2 | 8 | 1 | 4.00 |
| Anshul Kamboj | 2 | 19 | 1 | 9.50 |
Player of the Match: Sunil Narine
No surprises as Sunil Narine was named Player of the Match for his magical spell of 3/16, which broke the backbone of CSK’s batting lineup.
Key Moments in KKR vs CSK Match
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MS Dhoni returns as CSK captain, but the team fails to deliver.
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Sunil Narine’s 3-wicket burst derails CSK’s innings.
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Ajinkya Rahane’s quickfire 49* seals the win in just 10.1 overs.
Watch KKR vs CSK Match Highlights – IPL 2025
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