KKR vs CSK Match Result

KKR defeated CSK by 8 wickets in a one-sided match(KKR vs CSK). CSK struggled while batting first on the spin-friendly pitch and could only make 103/9 in their 20 overs. KKR chased this target easily and won the match by making 107/2 in just 10.1 overs.

Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine provided a strong base right from the beginning. KKR’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding completely outclassed CSK, which could not adapt according to the conditions.

Match Details

• Date and Venue: April 11, 2025, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
• Match Number: 25th match of IPL 2025.
• Start Time: 7:30 PM IST.
• Teams:
  • CSK Playing XI (Probable): Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed.
  • KKR Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.
• Changes: CSK replaced the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad with Rahul Tripathi and Mukesh Choudhary with Anshul Kamboj. KKR brought in Moeen Ali for Spencer Johnson.

Toss and Pitch Report

Toss: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl first. He said that the pitch can help the bowlers in the beginning and it can be easy to chase in the second innings, so he preferred to chase.

Pitch Report: According to experts, the pitch was balanced but a bit bowler-friendly, especially for the spinners. This was not a high-scoring wicket (200+ total was difficult) and the average score of this pitch in the first innings is 164.

First Innings (CSK Batting)

CSK’s batting collapsed under pressure from KKR’s bowlers. Key points:

• Total: 103/9 in 20 overs.
• Top Performers:
  • Shivam Dube: Remained not out on 31* (29 balls) and was the only batsman who showed some resistance. He fought back a bit by hitting two boundaries at the end of the innings.
  • Vijay Shankar: He made a short contribution when he hit two boundaries in one over of Varun Chakravarthy.
• Key Moments (KKR vs CSK) Match:
  • Early wickets completely spoiled the momentum of CSK. Rachin Ravindra became the victim of Harshit Rana in the 4th over after scoring just 4 runs.
  • Wickets kept falling continuously due to which CSK was never able to build a strong partnership and remained on the back foot the whole time.
  • KKR spinners, especially Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali, took full advantage of the turning track. Along with this, pacers like Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora also kept the pressure by bowling from a tight line.
• Bowling Highlights:
  • KKR’s bowling attack was very good, where spinners and pacers took wickets together. Where Sunil Narine took 3 wickets giving only 13 runs in 4 overs and won the title of man of the match.

Second Innings (KKR Batting)

Kakar chased this small target very easily and finished the match in 10.1 overs. Key points:

• Total: 107/2 in 10.1 overs.
• Top Performers:
  • Quinton de Kock: He made an aggressive start, including a powerful six against Anshul Kamboj.
  • Sunil Narine: Hit a powerful six against Khaleel Ahmed in the first over and continued his attacking approach thereafter. Could not score a half century but still made a powerful contribution of 44 runs for his team.
• Key Moments (KKR vs CSK) Match:
  • KKR started strongly, making 7/0 in the first over itself, in which Narine pulled Khaleel and hit a massive six.
  • Anshul Kamboj’s second over proved costly, giving away 12 runs, including a six and a no-ball from de Kock.
  • The entire chase was quite clinical – only 2 wickets fell, which shows that they did not get much resistance from CSK bowlers.
• Bowling for CSK: Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj proved to be quite expensive in the beginning. Spinners like Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin also could not show the same dominance as KKR, one reason for which was that it became difficult to grip the ball because of the dew.

Pre-Match Context(KKR vs CSK)

• CSK: Five-time champions CSK were in a slump as they lost four consecutive matches after starting with a win against Mumbai Indians on March 23. Regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the season due to a fracture, after which MS Dhoni took over captaincy. CSK’s batting has been inconsistent throughout the tournament and their bowling attack – which used to be their strength earlier – was also struggling. Playing in a traditional fortress like Chepauk was seen as an opportunity for them to regroup, but recent losses there have raised further concerns.
• KKR: The defending champions’ campaign so far has been mixed – 2 wins and 3 losses in 5 matches, which puts them in the sixth position in the points table. They lost by just 4 runs while chasing 238 runs against Lucknow Super Giants, which shows their batting firepower, but their vulnerability while chasing was also exposed. KKR’s squad is quite balanced under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy – Sunil Narine, Varun Chakraborty and all-rounders like Andre Russell were ready to target CSK’s weaknesses.
• Head-to-Head: CSK’s historical record has been a little better, in which even in IPL 2024 they defeated KKR by 7 wickets in Chepauk. In that match, Ruturaj Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 67 runs and chased a target of 137/9. But this time KKR had good familiarity with the conditions of Chepauk, because they have players like Moeen Ali and Ajinkya who have been part of CSK before. Because of this, KKR got extra confidence.
• Form Guide:
  • CSK: L L L L W (most recent first).
  • KKR: L W L W L.

Post-Match Impact(KKR vs CSK)

• CSK: This defeat has made it a bit difficult for CSK to reach the playoffs, as now they have faced defeat in 5 out of 6 matches. With this, they have fallen further down in the points table. Their batting collapse has shown that the team is too dependent on a few selected players and their struggle against spin has also come to light. Questions are also being raised on their strategy without Ruturaj Gaikwad. Dhoni’s leadership also could not turnaround the team this time and now they have some tough matches ahead – like the one against RCB on 18 April. Reaching the playoffs has now become a very uphill battle for them. Fans also seemed quite disappointed.
• KKR: This convincing win gave a big boost to KKR’s confidence and took them to 3rd position in the points table, now they have 3 wins in 6 matches. Their bowling unit has been quite dominant, and Sunil Narine’s explosive form has made their chances of title defense stronger. Winning at a tough venue like Chepauk is a big thing for them, which will further motivate them for the upcoming matches – the next match is against Punjab Kings on 15 April. The win also shows their adaptability, especially on slower tracks, where they made full use of the conditions.
• Points Table Impact:
  • KKR: Gained 2 points, improving their net run rate significantly due to the early finish.
  • CSK: No points, with their net run rate taking a hit after the heavy defeat.
• Player Form:
  • CSK: Shivam Dube’s resilience was a positive point, but top-order failures like Ravindra, Conway and Tripathi’s form have become a concern. Bowlers, especially Ravindra Jadeja, will now have to give more impactful performances.
  • KKR: Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock’s aggressive start set a perfect template for the chase. Varun Chakraborty’s spin was quite effective at Chepauk, which is a good sign for future matches.

Result

Kolkata Knight Riders won by 8 wickets with 59 balls to spare.

• CSK: 103/9 (20 overs).
• KKR: 107/2 (10.1 overs).
• Player of the Match: Sunil Narine

This match clearly shows that in today’s match KKR overtook CSK in every department. They took advantage of the weaknesses of CSK’s batting and made full use of the spin-friendly conditions. This is a wake-up call for CSK – they will have to rethink their approach. KKR would like to carry this momentum forward in the upcoming matches.