IPL 2022 | All-round Livingstone helps PBKS to hand a 54-run hammering to CSK

Liam Livingstone's all-around performance and brilliant outings for Jitesh Sharma, Vaibhav Arora and Rahul Chahar have inspired Punjab Kings to a comprehensive 54-run win over the defending champions Chennai Super Kings.

Needing 181 to win, the defending champions got off to a worst possible start to their innings as they lost both their openers- Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa- cheaply.

Gaikwad's poor form in IPL 2022 continued as he registered yet another single-digit score. He could have been dismissed in the first over itself when he pushed with hard hands at an away going delivery from Vaibhav Arora, but the ball fell just short of a diving Shikhar Dhawan at first slip.

His luck soon ran out in the next over when he again pushed at a fuller delivery from Kagiso Rabada, and this time, Dhawan pouched it safely at wide slip.

It went from bad to worse for CSK pretty quickly as they lost both in-form batsmen in the form of Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali to Arora in his next couple of overs. While Uthappa failed to work a length ball on the leg-side to give a simple catch to Mayank Agarwal, Ali chopped onto his stumps to register a second-ball duck.

If this wasn't enough, skipper Jadeja too fell for a duck as he, in an attempt to punch a delivery from Arshdeep Singh from his crease, ended up inside-edging it to disturb his stumps. CSK finished the powerplay at 4-27, and understandably PBKS were cock-a-hoop.

Ambati Rayudu joined the likes of Jadeja soon following a fatal attempt to ramp Odean Smith. The ball brushed his gloves, and keeper Jitesh Sharma did the rest by taking a brilliant diving catch towards his right.

With the asking rate soaring past 13, Shivam Dube played some delightful strokes, but the Super Kings needed sustained assault from both ends. But again, MS Dhoni was slow off the blocks, even against a part-timer like Livingstone, managing just nine runs off the first 18 deliveries he faced.

The equation eventually boiled down to 107 off the last 42 deliveries. Then, with Dhoni not accelerating, Dube decided to take it upon himself as he hammered an undisciplined Rabada for consecutive sixes to race his way to a 26-ball half-century.

But, with the asking rate beyond the surmountable limit, one shot proved to be too many for Dube, as he holed out to Arshdeep Singh in the next over following a fatal attempt to hoick a googly from Livingstone towards mid-wicket. Livingstone sealed the deal for PBKS in the same over as he sent Dwayne Bravo packing for a duck with a sensational one-handed stunner towards his left.

Rahul Chahar knocked over Pretorius, who failed to connect the slog-sweep and holed out to Arshdeep in the next over. While MSD did swing his willow against Livingstone, Chahar dismissed him in his next over thanks to a leg-side strangle and a brilliant review from Jitesh Sharma to hammer the final nail in the coffin of the defending champions.

Having been asked to bat, the Punjab Kings, as they have done so far in this season, came out chasing hell for leather.

They did lose skipper Mayank Agarwal on the second ball of the innings- courtesy of an ill-timed chip to cover-point- and an in-form Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the following over, thanks to a brilliant run-out from a diving MS Dhoni.

But, it did not affect their approach as Liam Livingstone, and Shikhar Dhawan put a helpless Chennai bowling to th sword in the powerplay.

Livingstone is renowned for his range hitting and the Lancashire swashbuckler showcased that to the hilt on Sunday night at the expense of Mukesh Choudhary.

The England white-ball basher hammered the young left-arm seamer for as many as four 4s and three monstrous sixes in 12 legitimate deliveries to race his way to 38 off just 15 deliveries.

Shikhar Dhawan also joined the act as he smashed Dwayne Bravo for a couple of fours and a six in the 6th over to ensure that Punjab finished the powerplay at 2-72; the second-highest powerplay score of the season thus far.

The introduction of Ravindra Jadeja had no impact on Livingstone as he welcomed the CSK skipper with another six, this time over long-off. It was a mistimed shot from Livingstone, but it didn't matter as the ball sailed comfortably over the boundary line.

He did ride his luck in the next couple of overs as Ambati Rayudu dropped a straightforward chance at short third-man before Dhoni grassed a challenging opportunity down the leg-side off the bowling of Dwaine Pretorius.

He eventually got to his maiden IPL fifty (off 27 deliveries) with a top-edge six off Bravo in the 10th over.

The duo added 95 runs for the third wicket off just 51 deliveries before Bravo broke the stand with yet another slower delivery aimed at wide of off-stump, inducing a mistimed lofted drive from Dhawan (33 off 24 deliveries).

One brought two for the defending champions as Livingstone, in an attempt to fiercely cut Jadeja, ended up getting a thick outside, and this time, Rayudu did not make any mistake at short third-man.

Following the double-blow, Jitesh Sharma took matters into his own hands as he attacked Jadeja and Moeen Ali to race his way to 23 off 13 deliveries.

But, CSK, as they did in the previous game against Lucknow, applied the squeeze during the middle-overs thanks to the change-of-pace and wide off-stump strategy from Pretorius and Jordan. 

Pretorius sent back a dangerous-looking Jitesh with a slower delivery aimed at outside the off-stump before Chris Jordan ended Shah Rukh Khan's stay at the crease in the next over.

Khan never looked comfortable at the crease during his 11-ball six and eventually perished in an attempt to flick a full-toss on the leg-side.

Thanks to some brilliant death bowling from Pretorius (2/30 in four overs) and Jordan (2/23 in 4 overs) and an appalling display from someone like Odean Smith (3 off seven deliveries), who swung like a rusty gate, PBKS could only manage 33 runs in the last five overs to finish with 180/8 in 20.

The target eventually proved to be more than enough thanks to brilliant bowling performances from Vaibhav, Chahar and Livingstone, paving the way for a third successive defeat for CSK.