Chepauk plays host to record sixes in IPL return
The Chennai Super Kings-Kolkata Knight Riders match at Chepauk saw 31 sixes in total - a joint record in IPL history.
Published : Apr 11, 2018 15:19 IST
The Chennai Super Kings-Kolkata Knight Riders match at Chepauk on Tuesday saw 31 sixes in total - a joint record in IPL history.
On CSK's return to the venue in over two years, Kolkata Knight Riders Andre Russell threatened to rain on the homecoming parade.
The West Indian all-rounder smashed 11 sixes, one hit the roof and one went over. Russell's assault launched KKR past 200 after he walked in to bat at 89 for the loss of five wickets.
The CSK think-tank, which has preferred slow-natured wickets in past seasons, asked for a flat deck to counter KKR's spin trio of Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla.
Sam Billings, Shane Watson and Ambati Rayadu laid the foundations for a successful chase as CSK hit 14 sixes in answer to KKR's 17 from the first innings.
The only other time this number was achieved was when Delhi Daredevils hauled down Gujarat Lions' total of 208 at Feroz Shah Kotla in May last year. Daredevils, on that night, hit 20 sixes in its chase.
Chepauk has also seen a target of over 200 successfully chased down only once before in 2012. Albie Morkel's eight-ball 28 helped the Super Kings to chase Royal Challengers Bangalore's score of 205.