Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 22nd Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentaryCSK vs KKR, 22nd Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

CSK win two in a row and KKR remain winless. First time that KKR haven't won a game after their first 5 games of an IPL season. That's worrying signs and they need a major shakeup. Whether that will come remains to be seen. On that note it's time to bring down the curtains on this one. We will see you again tomorrow for another IPL game. RCB take on LSG at the Chinnaswamy. Do join us then. Bye bye for now.

Noor Ahmed | Player of the match: "First of all, really happy to contribute for my team. Yeah, the dew was there, and it was humid, so just try to keep my fingers dry and yeah that helped me a lot to hit the right area. It was all about that. (was the pitch receptive to spin?) Yeah, really happy with the pitch. I think the ball was not coming really well to the bat and yeah to get advantage of that, it was..... (confidence-boosting game this) Yeah, definitely it gives a lot of confidence. Yeah, I will keep putting lots of effort to contribute for my team in the coming matches. (what sort of pace worked for him tonight?) I think keep changing pace is best everywhere and every wicket and tonight, 90, above 90 is good."

Ruturaj Gaikwad | CSK captain: "Definitely feeling good, to be honest. I think again, we defended a good score. I felt it was a par score, given that, the wicket drastically changed after the first, I would say, seven or eight overs. It started spinning a bit, it started stopping a bit. So, we were first looking at 220, 210, but then, we thought anything around 190, 180 would be a good score and I think after that, we just had to get a good powerplay in bowling. After that, it was just about maintaining that run-rate. (talking about the bowling performance) Yes, it was good. Slowly, slowly, it's starting to come together, I feel. Everyone kind of knows what their role is, which overs, what to bowl, and what lengths to bowl at. So I think they are adjusting and adapting really well according to what team needs. As I said, slowly, slowly, we are getting better and better. And that's a good sign for us. (on Noor and Akeal) Yes, we thought that, since we wanted to kind of use Veer if we were short in batting, but then we thought that, we had it covered and Akeal coming in the second innings, more of a powerplay bowler. But, Sunil opening the batting, we thought, still it was gripping. So two right-handers in between, he can still get us good overs. So I feel he bowled really well, went under the radar, but I feel he bowled really well. (on drops in the field) Yes, I think we dropped everything that came, just took one or two, but still, I thought, I felt it was a bit humid today, so a lot of sweat coming into the hands. Not an excuse, but definitely we would like to improve. As long as, there's energy behind every ball, there's intent and as I said, there's attitude behind it, we are fine, even if we drop few. (on his form) Well firstly, I think, good to be on winning side after a long time. I felt it was getting into the head even when I was batting, but after last game, felt a bit relaxed and it is, I feel I'm feeling really good. Just make sure that do whatever the team needs, whatever the situation needs. And I feel even mentally, I'm feeling really well, feeling positive, and just a big, a big knock is just around the corner, but as long as the other guys are just covering up for me definitely I'll do it when it's needed."

Akeal Hosein: "It's finally good to see a good cricket wicket. There was something in it for everyone and not just a belter. So I think the spinners read the wicket, good enough and we just exploit what the wicket had to offer. (on targetting the stumps) Yeah, it was, as I said, there was something there for the spinners. So it was just about using natural variation, either you were going on-seam or you were going on-face to get a couple deliveries to skid on. But the most important thing was about staying on the stumps and forcing them to hit against either the balls that are slower or balls that are skidding and staying a bit low. (talks about Noor Ahmed) Yes, very happy for him. In the last couple of games, he's been struggling and we're all happy for him. He's been working really hard. So, happy for him to come out today and get some success and get some confidence behind him. (190 was a good score?) Yeah, I think cricket games, when you see teams score anywhere between 170 to 190, you know it's going to be a hell of a game rather than you turn up at a venue and you just see an absolute belter where guys are just hitting through the line. I thought today was a brilliant game of cricket. And it was a day that you had to work for what you want for. It's not a day that you can just turn up and, close your eyes and do magical things. It was a day that you had to work for what you want."

Ajinkya Rahane | KKR captain: "Absolutely. I thought with the ball, we did really good. 190 on this wicket was really good, especially the powerplay what they got, 70-odd runs. After that, pulling back to 190 was amazing job from our bowling unit. I thought initially with our batting, we just got 36 or 37 runs in the powerplay. I thought that was really important. Middle phase, to hitting spinners was slightly challenging, but apart from that, wicket was really good. We needed one batter to bat till deep and then take it in the end. (where do you think you need to tighten up?) I think combination-wise, we thought, the combination which we had last game and this was really good. I think it's tough at the moment. Yes, we're not winning matches, it's tough. What is important for all of us as a group to stay positive, keep our head up, keep our chin up, just focus on the moment. Yes, we'll have to sit in the dressing room, think about the combinations. We'll have to make any changes. Sometimes you back the players, if the results are going your way, then it's okay. But if the results are not going your way, then you'll have to think about the combination. But apart from that, I thought it's all about being positive and keep our heads up. (on Tyagi) I think all credit goes to him. I mean, he's working really hard in the nets. He's been bowling really good and a great talent. The pace which he's bowling at the moment has been amazing. So I'm really happy for him. Game by game, he's improving his skills. (on their spinners) Yeah, all three spinners. I mean, if you see from CSK spinners also, they bowled really well. It was not easy for batters to hit big sixes unless you bowled really full, it was easy. Otherwise, putting it back and then going across wasn't an easy option for the batters. So I thought from both the sides, spinners bowled really well. We just have to, as I said, keep that head up and just be positive and have that self-belief."

Stats by Shashikant Singh

This is just the second time CSK has won while defending sub-200 out of 11 games since IPL 2024.

First time this season a team won while defending sub-200 out of eight completed games (excluding RR's win over MI in an 11-overs-a-side shortened game).

Most wins against a team in the IPL
25 - MI vs KKR (36 mats)
21 - CSK vs RCB (36 mats)
21 - KKR vs PBKS (36 mats)
21 - MI vs CSK (39 mats)
21 - MI vs DC (38 mats)
21 - CSK vs KKR (32 mats)*

Most wins against an opponent at a venue in the IPL
11 - MI vs KKR at Wankhede (13 mats)
9 - KKR vs PBKS at Kolkata (15 mats)
9 - SRH vs PBKS at Hyderabad (10 mats)
9 - CSK vs KKR at Chennai (13 mats)*

Longest losing streak for KKR in IPL
9 in 2009
6* in 2025-26
6 in 2019
5 in 2022

– For the first time, KKR remain winless after the first five games of an IPL season.

23:30 Local Time, 18:00 GMT, 23:30 IST: KKR lose again. A familiar story for them this season. They would've been happy to have kept CSK to 192. But KKR's batting faltered again. Finn Allen went early and there was no momentum in the powerplay. Narine was sent to open and despite his two sixes he struggled. Raghuvanshi took his chances and after a drop went to Akeal. Rahane started slowly and then hit two sixes before going to Noor. Green fell first-ball and it was too much of a task for the likes of the out-of-form Rinku and Ramandeep to do. Powell and Ramandeep fought hard but Anshul Kamboj was excellent at the death once again as he trusted his round the wicket wide outside off yorker length line. Khaleel supported him well too. But the real damage was done by the spinners - Noor and Akeal who took 4/47 in their 8 overs. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...

Anshul Kamboj to Ramandeep Singh, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

An over-rate penalty for CSK. One fielder inside the ring. Kamboj from round the wicket.