Punjab (K)ings in CCI

Livingstone justified his price-tag with a smashing 32-ball 60

Punjab Kings handed Chennai Super Kings their third successive defeat, beating them by 54 runs and two overs to spare in the Indian Premier League at the CCI ground here on Sunday.

Debutant Vaibhav Arora and Kagiso Rabada scythed through the top order in the powerplay and when Odean Smith bounced out Rayudu, CSK were 36 for 5 in the eighth over.

There would be no way back for them, despite a 36-ball half-century from Dube. Dhoni tuk-tuked his way to 23 off 28 balls in a bid to limit NRR damage before CSK ultimately folded for 126 in 18 overs. Kings secured their second win in three games.

Earlier, twenty20 nomad Liam Livingstone justified his Rs 11.50 crore price-tag with a smashing 32ball 60 but Chennai Super Kings came back strongly at the death to restrict Punjab Kings to 180 for 8.

CSK gave away only 71 runs in the back-10 with a lot of credit going to their troika of overseas pacers -- Dwaine Pretorius (4-0-30-2), Dwayne Bravo (3-0-321) and Chris Jordan (4-0-23-2), who used variations to good effect, stifling the opposition batters.

In fact, bulk of the 55 dot balls came in the second half of the Punjab innings. Livingstone, one of the most destructive T20 batters across global leagues, finally came good with five fours and an equal number of sixes, sending the CSK bowlers on a leatherhunt during the initial overs.

BRIEF SCORES:

Punjab Kings: 180- 8 (Liam Livingstone 60; Chris Jordon 2/23, Dwaine Pretorius 2/30) Chennai Super Kings: 126 all out in 18 overs (Shivam Dube 57, Rahul Chahar 3/25).