The T20 Podcast with Ayaz Memon: Kolkata Rekindle Top 4 Hopes by Beating Chennai

Chasing a target of 145 runs, Kolkata crossed the finish line in 18.3 overs.

Kolkata stayed true to tag, as after a humbling home defeat to Rajasthan, the two-time champions made a stunning comeback by beating Chennai, in Chennai.

Photo: The Quint

Having been unpredictable throughout the season, Kolkata stayed true to tag, as after a humbling home defeat to Rajasthan, the two-time champions made a stunning comeback by beating Chennai, in Chennai.

The hosts were put to bat first and they scored 144 runs, with Shivam Dube being the top scorer, with an unbeaten 34-ball 48. In response, Kolkata chased the total down in 18.3 overs, as Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh struck half-centuries.

Varun Chakaravarthy extended his good run of form in this fixture, as he picked up the crucial wickets of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane. Barring the local Tamil Nadu tweaker, Sunil Narine was also brilliant, as he not only scalped a couple of wickets, but conceded just 15 runs in his four-over spell.

Kolkata did win fairly comfortably in the end, but they had their fair share of wobbles and hiccups early on, with Deepak Chahar dismissing the trio of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer and Jason Roy inside the first five overs.

However, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh then built a match-winning 99-run stand, helping Kolkata secure two crucial points. Whilst the former remained unbeaten on 57 runs, the latter scored 54 runs, taking their team to the seventh position, with slender hopes of a playoffs berth still alive.

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