IPL 2025: Dominant KKR crush CSK for third win

KATHMANDU: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered their third win of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season in emphatic fashion, handing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) a humiliating 8-wicket defeat.

Chasing a modest target of 104 runs, Kolkata made light work of the total, reaching 106/2 in just 10.2 overs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Sunil Narine starred with the bat, smashing 44 runs off just 18 balls, including 2 fours and 5 sixes.

Quinton de Kock added 23, while skipper Ajinkya Rahane (20*) and Rinku Singh (15*) remained unbeaten to guide their side home comfortably.

Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to field — a decision that paid off handsomely as the Kolkata bowlers dismantled CSK’s batting lineup.

Chennai could only manage 103/9 in their 20 overs, marking their third-lowest total in IPL history.

Previously, CSK had scored just 79 and 97 against Mumbai Indians.

Devon Conway (12) and Rachin Ravindra (4) fell early, and CSK were reeling at 16/2. By the end of the powerplay, they were struggling at 31/2. No batter was able to settle at the crease, with Vijay Shankar top-scoring with 29.

Shivam Dube and Rahul Tripathi added 16 each, while only four CSK batters reached double digits.

Ravichandran Ashwin, skipper MS Dhoni, and Noor Ahmad managed just 1 run each, while Ravindra Jadeja and Deepak Hooda were dismissed for ducks.

Sunil Narine was sensational with the ball as well, finishing with figures of 4-0-13-3. Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy took two wickets apiece to stifle CSK’s innings.

With this dominant win in their sixth game, KKR now sit third on the points table with 6 points.

On the other hand, CSK’s woes continue as they suffer their fifth consecutive defeat — the first time in IPL history the franchise has lost five matches in a row.

They remain stuck at the bottom with just 2 points from 6 matches.