It was a crazy double header on Tuesday, with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) beating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). First, it was Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh show. Then, youngster Priyansh Arya hit a blazing hundred, the fastest ever against CSK. He was quite superb and was the main reason why CSK lost their fourth consecutive match at IPL 2025. In the game, Devon Conway had a sluggish outing that led CSK to retire him out. MS Dhoni, however, gave some hope with a good cameo. Off the field, RCB captain Rajat Patidar got fined due to slow over-rate. On that note, let us look at the top cricketing stories from Tuesday, April 8.
MS Dhoni still got it!
MS Dhoni showed glimpses of his old magic, blasting 27 off 12 balls with three sixes against PBKS. Though it wasn’t enough to save CSK’s skin, his innings was a thrill to watch. Dhoni’s numbers in IPL 2025 have been impressive, with 103 runs at 51 average and 153 strike rate in just 5 matches. However, he got slammed for lack of intent against Delhi Capitals. Now, he looked back in his element. Can he lead CSK to a win against KKR on April 11? Read more here.
CSK retires out Devon Conway
Devon Conway’s slow strike rate hindered CSK’s chase of 220 against PBKS. Despite reaching 69 off 49 balls, Conway’s inability to hit boundaries and rotate the strike allowed the required rate to spiral out of control. He was given two lifelines in the 12th over and was eventually retired out just before the 18th over. Conway’s half-century was one of the slowest of the season for CSK. Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni provided some momentum, but CSK’s run flow slowed down massively from the 14th to 18th overs, with no boundaries hit in 20 deliveries. Read more here.
Fine on Rajat Patidar
RCB captain Rajat Patidar was fined Rs 12 lakhs for maintaining a lower over rate during RCB’s match against Mumbai Indians. This was the team’s first offence under Article 2.2 of the IPL Code of Conduct. Patidar had led RCB to a 12-run victory at Wankhede Stadium, scoring 64 off 32 balls and earning Player of the Match. The fine didn’t overshadow RCB’s impressive win, which ended a 10-year jinx at the venue. RCB was third in the points table with 6 points from four matches. Read more here.
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LSG hammer KKR ft. Pooran
KKR’s thrilling chase fell short as they lost to LSG by 4 runs. Rinku Singh’s explosive 38 off 15 balls came too late, while Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane had earlier given KKR hope with their batting. LSG’s openers, Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, set the tone with a 99-run partnership, and Nicholas Pooran’s 87 not out, featuring 8 sixes, sealed the win. KKR might regret not utilizing Andre Russell and Rinku Singh earlier in the chase. The match against showed LSG’s potent batting lineup, with Pooran and Marsh engaging in an exciting battle for the Orange Cap. Read more here.
CSK poorest batting team of IPL 2025?
CSK’s batting struggles persist in IPL 2025, with their highest score barely crossing 180. Their approach, reliant on anchors like Devon Conway (strike rate of 140) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (strike rate of 137), seems outdated. Other key players like Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja aren’t firing consistently, while MS Dhoni’s form has dipped big time. In fact, CSK has been out-hit by most opponents, with only Mumbai Indians failing to do so. To put things into perspective, Nicholas Pooran has hit 24 sixes in IPL 2024, while all CSK players combined have hit just 23. Unless they revamp their strategy, it’s tough to see them making a strong comeback. Read more here.
Priyansh Arya – star in the making
Priyansh Arya smashed his maiden IPL ton, scoring 103 off 42 balls with 7 fours and 9 sixes against CSK. His 39-ball century is the second-fastest by an Indian in the IPL, just behind Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball record. Arya, signed by PBKS for Rs 3.80 crore, was fluent against top bowlers like Khaleel Ahmed and R Ashwin. After a slow start to the season, Arya’s knock showcased his talent and potential. Remarkably, this was his second T20 century, having scored 102 for Delhi. Also, he has a record of hitting six sixes in an over. Read more here.
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