Chennai Super Kings inflicted Kolkata Knight Riders with their first defeat of the season. Captain Ruturaj Gaekwad completed what Ravindra Jadeja had started in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Jadeja restricted Kolkata's batting power to 137-9 with 3-18 in the middle overs, and Gaekwad led Chennai to a comfortable victory, scoring 141-3 in just 17.4 overs, securing their third home win.
Gaekwad, who had only scored 88 runs in the previous four games, made an unbeaten 67 off 58 balls and led the chase with a 70-run second wicket partnership with Daryl Mitchell, who contributed 25.
Mitchell was clean bowled by Sunil Narine, but impact substitute Shivam Dube hit three sixes and a boundary in his quickfire 28 off 18 balls.
Chennai's seven-wicket victory has propelled them into the top four, having won three out of their five games.
Despite a strong start from Narine and Raghuvanshi, who put on 56-1 in the power play, Kolkata failed to capitalise after Phil Salt was caught out first ball by fast bowler Tushar Deshpande.
Narine scored 27 runs off 20 balls, including two sixes and three boundaries, while Raghuvanshi scored 24 runs off 18 balls. Jadeja took three wickets in his first eight balls, including those of Narine and Raghuvanshi.
Gaekwad’s decision to rely on his seamers during the death overs proved successful, resulting in Kolkata losing four wickets and scoring only 28 runs in the last four overs.
Mustafizur Rahman took both of his wickets in the final over, where his cutters only allowed two runs. Deshpande also contributed with 3-33.