IPL 14:2021 15th Match Played at Mumbai on 21 April 2021 
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) VS Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
CSK 220/3 in 20 Overs (Faf du Plessis 95*, Rutraj Gaikwad 64, Moeen Ali 25,)
KKR 202 All Out in 19.1 Overs (Pat Cummins 66*, Andre Russell 54, Dinesh Karthik 40, Deepak Chahar 4/29, Luigi Ngidi 3/28)

CSK survived late KKR surge led by Cummins (66*) and Russell 54) after developing a run mountain of 220/3 and decimating KKR to 5/31 by the 6th over. Winning the match by 18 runs CSK climbed to the top of points table after most time playing 4 matches each in round one.  It could be interesting had not Pradish Krishna got run out on the first ball of the last over of the match. Cummins was in killers mode at that stage. 

On an easy paced wicket oozing runs CSK openers Faf du Plesiss (95*) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (64) setting up 115 tuns first wicket partnership laid a solid launching pad. Gaikwad got out but Faf du Plessis kept blasting KKR attack mercilessly. KKR replacing Bangladesh star all rounder Shakib Al Hasan did not do anything better. Moeen Ali (25), MS Dhoni (15) made some small contributions but Faf du Plessis played a destructive innings of 95 not out in 60 deliveries striking 9 fours and 4 sixes. 220/3 on any wicket anywhere is a great T20 score. 

The top order of KKR got blown away by brilliant Chahar (4/29) pairing with Luigi Ngidi (3/28). KKR was looking down the barrel at 5/31 by the 6th over. Shubman Gill. Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan and Sunil Narin were all gone. Karthik and Russell started on mission impossible. 6th wicket partnership producing 81 runs in 6 overs created rays of hope. Russell scored 54 in only 22 deliveries.  Karthik scored 40 off 24. Pat Cummins took over from there and almost single handedly achieved a near impossible task. His 66 not out of 34 deliveries could earn a brilliant KKR win had he got some support from the other end. His solo effort failed delivering dividends as Pradish got run out on the first ball of the last over. Had Cummins got the opportunity of batting through to the last ball who knows he could take KKR across. Eventually KKR lost by 18 runs.

KKR has genuine problem. Captain Morgan is completely out of form. Replacing Shakib with Sunil Narine (scoring 4 runs in 3 balls and taking 1 wicket for 34 runs) did not work. Would suggest bringing back Shakib and resting Morgan for few matches. KKR has already fallen way behind in the race.

BDST: 1134 HRS, APR 22, 2021
SMS