Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India] - On May 1, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) experienced their eighth loss of the IPL 2025 season, falling to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets in a tightly contested match. Despite showing improvement in their batting, MS Dhoni expressed that the team did not reach a competitive score.
“While we did manage to score more runs than before, I believe we still fell short of a par score,” Dhoni remarked post-match, as reported by a sports media outlet.
He added, “It’s challenging for the batsmen, but we needed a bit more. The partnership between Curran and Brevis was exceptional. We also need to improve our catching,” he noted.
CSK set a target of 190 runs, largely thanks to Sam Curran's impressive innings of 88 runs off 47 balls, marking his highest score in IPL history. Youngster Dewald Brevis supported him with 32 runs off 26 balls, including two boundaries and a six, as they formed a crucial 78-run partnership during the middle overs.
Dhoni praised Curran, stating, “Curran is a true fighter. Unfortunately, previous opportunities came on slower pitches, but today’s surface was the best we’ve had at home this season.”
He also commended Brevis for his enthusiasm and potential impact in the middle order, saying, “He brings momentum and energy to the field. We needed someone fresh who isn’t caught up in the pressure. He can be a valuable asset moving forward.”
In the match, PBKS won the toss and chose to bowl first. CSK found themselves at 48/3 at one point, but the partnership between Curran and Brevis helped stabilize the innings. Curran’s explosive performance included nine fours and four sixes, but CSK was ultimately bowled out for 190 in 19.2 overs, collapsing from 172/4 due to a hat-trick by Yuzvendra Chahal (4/32). Arshdeep Singh also delivered a strong performance with figures of 2/25.
During PBKS's chase, Priyansh Arya (23 off 15 balls) and Prabhsimran Singh provided a brisk start with a 44-run partnership. A significant 72-run partnership between Prabhsimran (54 off 36 balls) and captain Shreyas Iyer solidified PBKS's grip on the match. Iyer continued to dominate, scoring 72 runs off just 41 balls, while Shashank Singh contributed 23 runs off 12 balls. Despite losing a few wickets towards the end, PBKS secured victory by four wickets with two balls remaining.
For CSK, Khaleel Ahmed (2/28) and Matheesha Pathirana (2/45) were the standout bowlers.
With this win, PBKS climbed to second place in the standings with six victories, three losses, and one no result, totaling 13 points. In contrast, CSK is struggling at the bottom with only two wins and eight losses, accumulating just four points.
