Chennai Super Kings hit highest score of IPL season

Chennai Super Kings hit 235-4 in the highest score so far this season by any team in the Indian Premier League as it crushed Kolkata Knight Riders by 49 runs, according to The Associated Press.

Ajinkya Rahane hit 71 not out off 29 deliveries and Shivam Dube contributed a 21-ball 50 as Chennai recorded the highest-ever IPL total at Eden Gardens, beating Kolkata’s 232-4 against Mumbai Indians in 2019.

In reply, Kolkata finished at 186-8 which included Jason Roy’s 26-ball 61.

Chennai moved top of the standings with its fifth win in seven games after Rajasthan Royals lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven runs earlier Sunday.

Asked to bat first, Chennai got off to a flier thanks to a 73-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad (35).

Conway hit his fourth consecutive half-century, scoring 56 off 40 balls.

Their opening stand was the perfect platform for Rahane and Dube, who hit a barrage of boundaries to regale the packed Eden Gardens.

Rahane reached 50 off 24 balls, and hit five sixes as well as six fours overall. Dube hit five sixes, as the duo added 85 off 32 balls.

Dube’s dismissal didn’t slow down Rahane, who scored 21 off the last five deliveries he faced and put on another 38 off 13 balls with Ravindra Jadeja (18).

It was Chennai’s third highest score in IPL history and proved to be well beyond Kolkata’s reach. Young pacer Akash Singh bowled an impressive opening spell, dismissing Sunil Narine for a three-ball duck.