Swelling in hand… yet Iyer played captaincy innings and led the team to a historic victory, CSK's second consecutive defeat.

New Delhi. In a thrilling match of IPL, Punjab Kings registered their second consecutive win by defeating Chennai Super Kings by 5 wickets. This is CSK's second consecutive defeat. Captain Shreyas Iyer scored a brilliant half-century in Punjab's victory. Despite Shreyas not being completely fit, he put his team in a strong position by playing a match-winning innings. He scored the maximum of 50 runs in 29 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes. After Shreyas's dismissal, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis completed the formalities of the victory. Punjab Kings achieved the target of 210 runs for 5 wickets in 18.4 overs. In the last eight matches, Punjab Kings have tasted victory 7 times, maintaining their supremacy against Chennai Super Kings, while CSK has won only one match. This continuous winning streak of Punjab has increased the challenges of Chennai even in a stronghold like Chepauk.

Shreyas Iyer suffered a wrist injury in the first match. In the match against Gujarat Titans, he continued to bat despite being hit by the ball in his hand. He was not scheduled to play in the match against Chennai Super Kings. Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin had told a day before the match that Shreyas Iyer does not have a fracture, but his hand is swollen.

The pair of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave a great start to Punjab Kings while chasing the target of 210 runs set by CSK. Both of them made a partnership of 61 runs for the first wicket. Priyansh was out after scoring 39 runs in 11 balls which included four sixes and three fours. Prabhasimran played an innings of 43 runs on 34 balls while Cooper Connolly was out after scoring 36 runs on 22 balls. Shashank Singh returned after scoring 14 unbeaten runs on 6 balls, while Stoinis scored 9 unbeaten runs on three balls.

Shreyas Iyer played a brilliant innings along with Nehal Vadhera.

With the help of Ayush Mhatre's 73 runs in 43 balls, Chennai Super Kings scored 209 runs for five wickets against Punjab Kings. After the early dismissal of Sanju Samson (seven), Mhatre made a partnership of 96 runs with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad (28) for the second wicket. Samson tried to play a cover shot on Xavier Bartlett's outswinger but was caught by Prabhsimran Singh behind the wicket. After this, however, Mhatre put pressure on the Punjab bowlers. He hit three consecutive fours off Bartlett and took Chennai to 57 runs for one wicket in the powerplay.

Earlier, Mhatre, who was feeling uncomfortable on short pitch balls, looked full of confidence and this young Mumbai batsman hit a six off Marco Yansen. After this, he hit two consecutive sixes on Marcus Stoinis and completed his half-century in 29 balls. Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal tried to trap this batsman who was 17 years younger than him by continuously bowling googlies but did not get success. Mhatre was given life in the deep by Vijaykumar Visakh on the score of 59 and Shashank Singh on the score of 67.

He returned after playing a bad shot on Visakh's ball and getting caught by Chahal at short third man. Meanwhile, Chahal also dismissed Gaikwad. Chennai scored only 45 runs between the tenth and 15th overs. Sarfaraz Khan tried to increase the run rate by scoring 32 runs in 12 balls. He hit three consecutive fours to Arshdeep Singh and Visakh but returned to the pavilion after being caught by Nihal Wadhera on the same ball of Visakh. Shivam Dubey scored unbeaten 45 runs in 27 balls and Chennai crossed the 200 mark by scoring 64 runs in the last five overs.