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IPL 7, CSK vs KXIP, Highlights: Maxwell's 95, Miller's 54* help KXIP gun down 206 vs CSK
Glenn Maxwell slammed 95 while David Miller remained unbeaten on 54 as Kings XI Punjab crushed Chennai Super Kings by six wickets, chasing down a mammoth 206 in their first game of IPL 7. Catch the highlights here.
Kings XI Punjab defeated Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in their first game of the Indian Premier League 2014. The highlights:
Glenn Maxwell, Man-of-the-Match: It feels pretty good to chase down 205 against CSK, who are an amazing team.
And that's the end of this match. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals coming up next.
George Bailey, Kings XI Punjab captain: We wanted to try and be positive. I thought it would be a bigger chase but we pulled CSK back reasonably well. Maxwell has been in great touch for a while and he carried that on today.
MS Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings captain: We should have done better with the ball. We got 205 today, so the batsmen did their job but the bowlers should have had different plans for different individuals. The margin of error is very small here. Overall it will be difficult for the bowlers because there is not much spin. The game was down to the batsman, we did well but they beat us fair and square
19:21 IST: Kings XI Punjab win by six wickets! Glenn Maxwell smashed 95 while David Miller played his part with an unbeaten half-century as Kings XI Punjab blazed down 206 against Chennai Super Kings in their opening Indian Premier League 2014 campaign. KXIP had got off to a good start despite losing Sehwag, Pujara and Patel quickly and had managed to keep in touch with the required rate throughout the first half of the innings, before Maxwell exploded and Kings XI raced away, leaving MS Dhoni with little to do. He of course missed Dwayne Bravo after he walked off with an injury. Maxwell was on course for the first hundred of IPL 7 before a yorker from Dwayne Smith put paid to his dreams. However, after Maxwell's exit, Miller took it upon himself to ensure Kings XI did not suffer any further setbacks and were able to complete a famous win over the Super Kings.
19:12 IST: SIX! and SIX! Miller has dashed all CSK hopes here in this Jadeja over. This is scintillating stuff from the Kings XI Punjab. And that's a well-deserved half-century for the South African southpaw. KXIP are 190/4 after 17 overs.
19:09 IST: FOUR! Miller spoils the over for CSK, picks up a boundary off the last ball. KXIP aree 172/4 after 16 overs and need only 34 off 24 balls. With Bailey and Miller in the middle, you'd have to back KXIP.
19:06 IST: WICKET! Bowled! Smith gets Maxwell for 95 but he has done his job for KXIP, who are in sight of a famous win over the Super Kings.
19:04 IST: SIX! Maxwell is batting like a man possessed. He slammed that into the crowd with such disdain and followed it up with a cracking FOUR!
19:00 IST: FOUR! Maxwell danced down the track and hoicked Ashwin over mid-off. Excellent cricket from the Australian here.
18:57 IST: Smith comes on for CSK after the timeout, with KXIP in cruise control. FOUR! Unorthodox from Maxwell but who cares. DROPPED! Samuel Badree, the sub, lets go of a flat chance and his West Indian teammate Smith is far from impressed. KXIP are 147/3 after 14 overs.
18: 51 IST: And it's strategic timeout. Chennai Super Kings have some serious planning to do here.
18:50 IST: Maxwell smashes FOUR!, SIX!, FOUR! and FOUR! off Negi and Miss Zinta can't contain her glee in the stands. CSK are feeling the heat here, says Ravi Shastri on air. It's all happening in the middle. KXIP have taken 22 runs off this over. KXIP are 138/3 after 13 overs.
18:45 IST: FOUR! Maxwell slams that to the fence to bring up his fifty as KXIP continue to stay in touch with the required rate against the Super Kings.
18:43 IST: Bravo landed heavily on his elbow in an attempt to save the previous boundary and he had to walk off the field to receive some treatment. CSK could be a bowler short if he does not come back soon enough.
18:40 IST: 100 up for KXIP in the 11th over. FOUR! Miller sends one to the fence as they remain hot on CSK's heels. KXIP are 104/3 after 11 overs.
18:37 IST: DROPPED! Nehra drops an easy, easy catch to let Maxwell survive. Jadeja, the bowler does not appreciate it at all and the skipper is not amused. Not a good comeback after the timeout. And Miller offers a sharp chance to du Plessis, who drops it too. Phew, what an over. KXIP are 93/3 after 10 overs.
18:34 IST: Strategic timeout. Both teams have plenty to ponder over. KXIP are 90/3 after 9 overs and need 116 off the remaining 11 overs. They have Miller and Maxwell at the crease AND Bailey due to come in next. CSK's bowling is looking a little weak. This could go down to the wire.
18:31 IST: SIX! That's Miller power. Negi faces the brunt of it. What a shot that is and Miller together with Maxwell is setting the tone for KXIP's chase against the Super Kings.
18:28 IST: Ravindra Jadeja in the attack. He will need to keep his calm and bowl some miserly overs here. KXIP have lost early wickets but their run rate is at par with the required rate. And FOUR! short and wide from Jadeja and Miller makes the most of it. FOUR! Maxwell plays it fine and KXIP reach 83/3 after 8 overs.
18:25 IST: Pawan Negi into the attack for the Super Kings and he faces the prospect of bowling to Miller and Maxwell. Welcome to the IPL!
18:23 IST: FOUR! Maxwell brings the reverse-sweep into play and smashes an Ashwin delivery to the fence. FOUR! This time Maxwell, goes over the top of extra-cover, again not well-timed but he gets the desired results. Two consecutive wides from Ashwin follow. End of the powerplay. KXIP are 65/3.
18:19 IST: WICKET! It's Ashwin again as Patel falls lbw to the wily off-spinner for two. KXIP are 52/3 off 5.1 overs.
18:17 IST: FOUR! Maxwell did not time that but the ball still raced away to the fence. FOUR! That was better executed and 50 up for KXIP. Mohit Sharma, the bowler. KXIP are 52/2 after 5 overs.
18:12 IST: WICKET! Ashwin strikes in his first over, trapping Pujara lbw as CSK continued to tighten the screws on KXIP, who are 40/2 after 4 overs.
18:07 IST: WICKET! Nehra has the last laugh as Sehwag tries to go for a wild heave - he missed the line and Nehra hit his target, knocking off the leg-stump. KXIP are 31/1 after 3 overs.
18:05 IST: FOUR! Bad line again from Nehra and Sehwag is too good to miss out on those. FOUR! Another one from Sehwag, who seems like he is in the zone today. Great stuff this.
18:03 IST: FOUR! Pujara brings his bottom-hand to play and drives it through the on-side as the ball races away to the fence. FOUR! That was poor bowling from Nehra and Pujara latches on it.
18:00 IST: FOUR! Sehwag, wearing glasses helps himself to boundary off Mohit Sharma. A touch of the old Viru there. He scored a hundred for the MCC, so he is in good form as that flick shows. FOUR! Encouraging signs for Kings XI. DROPPED! Sehwag chips that up in the air but Jadeja makes a mess of an easy chance. KXIP are 14/0 after 2 overs.
17:57 IST: Sehwag and Pujara are the openers for Punjab. Sehwag faced just the one ball in the first over, which he played away for a single. He will be key to KXIP getting a good start.
17:39 IST: Chennai Super Kings decided to bat in their 100th IPL game and celebrated the occasion in style, sending two CSK debutants, Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith and posting 205/4 off their 20 overs against Kings XI Punjab. The two men were only too happy to start things off for the Super Kings and tore into KXIP's helpless bowlers - no one was spared, not even Mitchell Johnson, who went for 47 off his four overs. McCullum (67 off 45 balls) and Smith (66 off 43 balls) added 123 in a blistering opening partnership as Kings XI Punjab continued to look listless. After Akshar Patel removed McCullum, Smith continued to plunder the runs and he found good company in Suresh Raina, who was playing his 100th IPL game too and smacked 24 off 19 balls. CSK lost the momentum after the openers departed but they still managed to pile a daunting total in their IPL 2014 opener in Abu Dhabi, thanks to a Dhoni cameo. Can Kings XI Punjab count on Virender Sehwag, George Bailey and Glenn Maxwell to get them to the target? Stay with us to find out.
17:35 IST: SIX! Bravo joins the party now and the 200 is up for CSK.
17:34 IST: SIX! That was a huge hit from MS Dhoni off the bowling of Balaji. What a start to the final over for CSK.
17:30 IST: WICKET! Raina is done in by Awana and Sehwag takes an easy catch. CSK are 185/3 after 18.4 overs.
17:26 IST: That's the end of Johnson's spell. It reads 4-0-47-0. Chennai Super Kings are 182/2 after 18 overs. 200 on the cards here.
17:22 IST: FOUR! MS Dhoni is off the mark with a cute looking shot- he is not going to hang around here, with CSK on the verge of a massive score. And he finishes the over with another FOUR! CSK are 172/2 after 17 overs.
17:18 IST: WICKET! Balaji makes the breakthrough for KXIP and Smith holds out to Bailey. That's the end of a stunning knock - CSK are 161/2 after 16.2 overs.
17:17 IST: CSK's fans have had a field day in Abu Dhabi. The assault from McCullum and Smith may have left Kings XI Punjab dazed but the Chennai contingent did not mind any bit of it.
17:15 IST: No ball from Johnson and it's a free-hit. But Mitch does well here and keeps Raina to his crease. CSK: 160/1 after 16 overs and they are on course here to get to 200 and more.
17:14 IST: FOUR! That was 150 kmph from Mitch but Raina's bat came down quicker on that one. The ball scorches the grass on its way to the fence. Top drawer cricket this.
17:11 IST: SIX! Stand and deliver from Smith and off Johnson, no less. What a knock this has been from the West Indian.
17:08 IST: FOUR! And another CSK debutant brings up his fifty. And to celebrate the occasion, Smith helps himself to a SIX!, all at Maxwell's expense. CSK: 145/1 after 15 overs.
17:05 IST: DROPPED! Raina gets a life this time as Saha drops a simple chance off the bowling of Dhawan.
17:01 IST: Suresh Raina walks in to bat for his 100th IPL game - he has not missed a single match for his team. And with CSK on 123/1 off 12.4 overs, this is a great time for him to come in.
16:58 IST: WICKET! McCullum goes for another maximum but Maxwell holds on to a great catch in the deep. Just reward for Patel. McCullum departs for 67 off 45 ,
16:57 IST: SIX! A flat batted shot from McCullum and the ball flies over the ropes. You got to feel for Patel, who has done a decent job with the ball so far.
16:51 IST: SIX! Smith this time and this is absolute carnage from the Super Kings. Maxwell the bowler on this instance but there's still no escape from the fireworks.
16:49 IST: Chennai Super Kings are 102/0, halfway into their innings. How are Kings XI Punjab going to come back into this contest?
16:46 IST: 100 up for CSK in the 10th over. What a show this has been by the openers. Kings XI Punjab would do well to keep the Super Kings to less than 200 in their 100th IPL game.
16:44 IST: FOUR! That was tracer bullet from Smith. Patel has done well so far with the ball but his inexperience showed on that occasion. Poor bowling, really.
16: 41 IST: Strategic timeout over and Kings XI Punjab were seen in a serious discussion. Whatever that was, Bailey would hope it works.
16:37 IST: FOUR! Sensational stuff. Fifty from McCullum on his CSK debut, off just 30 balls. This man has been in splendid form for the Black Caps and he has brought it all along with him to the middle-east. CSK: 89/0 after 8 overs
16:34 IST: Mitch Johnson's figures - 2-024-0. These are not encouraging numbers from the best bowler in the team. Who does Bailey look to now?
16:31 IST: SIX! Wow. McCullum does not realise he is up against the best speedster in the world, does he? CSK: 70/0 after 6 overs.
16:28 IST: Johnson back in the attack but FOUR!. McCullum welcomes him with a thundering shot. The Super Kings are batting like kings. Kings XI Punjab have no answer to this ruthless onslaught.
16:26 IST: DROPPED! It was a good effort but Bailey drops McCullum and he responds with a monstrous SIX! It's all happening there in Abu Dhabi. Chennai Super Kings are 59/0 after 5 overs.
16:22 IST: Smith tears into Awana. Two consecutive boundaries and the bowler does not know where to go. A single is no respite for that brings McCullum on strike. It's not a good feeling to be a bowler against the Super Kings.
16:14 IST: SIX! Take that. McCullum slams it over third man and the ball flies over the ropes. What a superb shot from the New Zealand captain. 14 runs off the over and a horrible start for Johnson to his IPL 7 campaign. CSK: 33/0 after 3 overs.
16:12 IST: FOUR! That went like a bullet through covers. Take a bow, Smith. Johnson bowled quick but Smith's bat came down like a rocket on that one.
16:11 IST: Mitchell Johnson in the attack. The fiercest pacer in the world up against McCullum. This should be some contest.
16:06 IST: FOUR! Cracker from McCullum and the ball races away to the fence on the off-side. FOUR! Another one but this time, it's off the outside edge and the ball flies over the 'keeper's head. This is aggression personified from McCullum.
16:05 IST: Awana to bowl the second over. This will be a big test of character for the India discard, up against two of the most dangerous batsmen in world cricket.
16:04 IST: Five wides from Patel - a poor delivery but that was more out of nervousness. McCullum was looking to explode on that occasion and the 20-year-old spinner tried to cramp him for room, but ended up wide off the mark. CSK: 9/0 after 1 over.
16:00 IST: So there they are. Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith, the two CSK openers out in the middle. Smith to face Patel of Kings XI Punjab. And CSK are off the mark with a single.
Playing XIs:
Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni (Captain & WK), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Mohit Sharma
Kings XI Punjab: Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, George Bailey (Captain), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Mitchell Johnson, Akshar Patel, Rishi Dhawan, Parvinder Awana, Lakshmipathy Balaji
15:33 IST: Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and decided to bat first against Kings XI Punjab in their IPL 7 opener. Brendon McCullum makes his debut for CSK.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been the undisputed giants of Indian Premier League (IPL) for several years. Having won the title twice (2011 and 2012), Mahendra Singh Dhoni has marshaled his men well to bring down opposing teams. The last one year though has been unlike any before. Controversies off the field have threatened to steal the thunder from the Men in Yellow. The objective in front of this team though is clear - play hard, play well and play to win not just the title but hearts as well. (Match preview)
Kings XI Punjab are standing in the way of CSK. This team has always been the one to beat to collect full points and move ahead in the table. The script may change this year as George Bailey leads the team under the watchful eyes of the only Indian coach in IPL - Sanjay Bangar. And then there is Virender Sehwag who is a man on a mission - raring to prove that he is still an attacker-par-excellence. The team has several other quality stars including David Miller, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Johnson who can thwart any challenge that is thrown at them. A win in the opening match and a win against a quality side like CSK can bolster the morale of the side and keep it up through the course of the tournament.
CSK coach Stephen Fleming has been candid enough to admit that off-field issues cannot be just brushed aside and are like a distraction for the team, which under normal circumstances comes across as a well-oiled machine on a mission. "There's a lot going on, I won't lie. There are a lot of distractions (leading up to the tournament). I think we were all uncertain about how it was going to play out," Fleming said in a subtle reference to the betting controversy which is now under a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.
Glenn Maxwell slammed 95 while David Miller remained unbeaten on 54 as Kings XI Punjab crushed Chennai Super Kings by six wickets, chasing down a mammoth 206 in their first game of IPL 7. Catch the highlights here.
Kings XI Punjab defeated Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in their first game of the Indian Premier League 2014. The highlights:
Glenn Maxwell, Man-of-the-Match: It feels pretty good to chase down 205 against CSK, who are an amazing team.
And that's the end of this match. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals coming up next.
George Bailey, Kings XI Punjab captain: We wanted to try and be positive. I thought it would be a bigger chase but we pulled CSK back reasonably well. Maxwell has been in great touch for a while and he carried that on today.
MS Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings captain: We should have done better with the ball. We got 205 today, so the batsmen did their job but the bowlers should have had different plans for different individuals. The margin of error is very small here. Overall it will be difficult for the bowlers because there is not much spin. The game was down to the batsman, we did well but they beat us fair and square
19:21 IST: Kings XI Punjab win by six wickets! Glenn Maxwell smashed 95 while David Miller played his part with an unbeaten half-century as Kings XI Punjab blazed down 206 against Chennai Super Kings in their opening Indian Premier League 2014 campaign. KXIP had got off to a good start despite losing Sehwag, Pujara and Patel quickly and had managed to keep in touch with the required rate throughout the first half of the innings, before Maxwell exploded and Kings XI raced away, leaving MS Dhoni with little to do. He of course missed Dwayne Bravo after he walked off with an injury. Maxwell was on course for the first hundred of IPL 7 before a yorker from Dwayne Smith put paid to his dreams. However, after Maxwell's exit, Miller took it upon himself to ensure Kings XI did not suffer any further setbacks and were able to complete a famous win over the Super Kings.
19:12 IST: SIX! and SIX! Miller has dashed all CSK hopes here in this Jadeja over. This is scintillating stuff from the Kings XI Punjab. And that's a well-deserved half-century for the South African southpaw. KXIP are 190/4 after 17 overs.
19:09 IST: FOUR! Miller spoils the over for CSK, picks up a boundary off the last ball. KXIP aree 172/4 after 16 overs and need only 34 off 24 balls. With Bailey and Miller in the middle, you'd have to back KXIP.
19:06 IST: WICKET! Bowled! Smith gets Maxwell for 95 but he has done his job for KXIP, who are in sight of a famous win over the Super Kings.
19:04 IST: SIX! Maxwell is batting like a man possessed. He slammed that into the crowd with such disdain and followed it up with a cracking FOUR!
19:00 IST: FOUR! Maxwell danced down the track and hoicked Ashwin over mid-off. Excellent cricket from the Australian here.
18:57 IST: Smith comes on for CSK after the timeout, with KXIP in cruise control. FOUR! Unorthodox from Maxwell but who cares. DROPPED! Samuel Badree, the sub, lets go of a flat chance and his West Indian teammate Smith is far from impressed. KXIP are 147/3 after 14 overs.
18: 51 IST: And it's strategic timeout. Chennai Super Kings have some serious planning to do here.
18:50 IST: Maxwell smashes FOUR!, SIX!, FOUR! and FOUR! off Negi and Miss Zinta can't contain her glee in the stands. CSK are feeling the heat here, says Ravi Shastri on air. It's all happening in the middle. KXIP have taken 22 runs off this over. KXIP are 138/3 after 13 overs.
18:45 IST: FOUR! Maxwell slams that to the fence to bring up his fifty as KXIP continue to stay in touch with the required rate against the Super Kings.
18:43 IST: Bravo landed heavily on his elbow in an attempt to save the previous boundary and he had to walk off the field to receive some treatment. CSK could be a bowler short if he does not come back soon enough.
18:40 IST: 100 up for KXIP in the 11th over. FOUR! Miller sends one to the fence as they remain hot on CSK's heels. KXIP are 104/3 after 11 overs.
18:37 IST: DROPPED! Nehra drops an easy, easy catch to let Maxwell survive. Jadeja, the bowler does not appreciate it at all and the skipper is not amused. Not a good comeback after the timeout. And Miller offers a sharp chance to du Plessis, who drops it too. Phew, what an over. KXIP are 93/3 after 10 overs.
18:34 IST: Strategic timeout. Both teams have plenty to ponder over. KXIP are 90/3 after 9 overs and need 116 off the remaining 11 overs. They have Miller and Maxwell at the crease AND Bailey due to come in next. CSK's bowling is looking a little weak. This could go down to the wire.
18:31 IST: SIX! That's Miller power. Negi faces the brunt of it. What a shot that is and Miller together with Maxwell is setting the tone for KXIP's chase against the Super Kings.
18:28 IST: Ravindra Jadeja in the attack. He will need to keep his calm and bowl some miserly overs here. KXIP have lost early wickets but their run rate is at par with the required rate. And FOUR! short and wide from Jadeja and Miller makes the most of it. FOUR! Maxwell plays it fine and KXIP reach 83/3 after 8 overs.
18:25 IST: Pawan Negi into the attack for the Super Kings and he faces the prospect of bowling to Miller and Maxwell. Welcome to the IPL!
18:23 IST: FOUR! Maxwell brings the reverse-sweep into play and smashes an Ashwin delivery to the fence. FOUR! This time Maxwell, goes over the top of extra-cover, again not well-timed but he gets the desired results. Two consecutive wides from Ashwin follow. End of the powerplay. KXIP are 65/3.
18:19 IST: WICKET! It's Ashwin again as Patel falls lbw to the wily off-spinner for two. KXIP are 52/3 off 5.1 overs.
18:17 IST: FOUR! Maxwell did not time that but the ball still raced away to the fence. FOUR! That was better executed and 50 up for KXIP. Mohit Sharma, the bowler. KXIP are 52/2 after 5 overs.
18:12 IST: WICKET! Ashwin strikes in his first over, trapping Pujara lbw as CSK continued to tighten the screws on KXIP, who are 40/2 after 4 overs.
18:07 IST: WICKET! Nehra has the last laugh as Sehwag tries to go for a wild heave - he missed the line and Nehra hit his target, knocking off the leg-stump. KXIP are 31/1 after 3 overs.
18:05 IST: FOUR! Bad line again from Nehra and Sehwag is too good to miss out on those. FOUR! Another one from Sehwag, who seems like he is in the zone today. Great stuff this.
18:03 IST: FOUR! Pujara brings his bottom-hand to play and drives it through the on-side as the ball races away to the fence. FOUR! That was poor bowling from Nehra and Pujara latches on it.
18:00 IST: FOUR! Sehwag, wearing glasses helps himself to boundary off Mohit Sharma. A touch of the old Viru there. He scored a hundred for the MCC, so he is in good form as that flick shows. FOUR! Encouraging signs for Kings XI. DROPPED! Sehwag chips that up in the air but Jadeja makes a mess of an easy chance. KXIP are 14/0 after 2 overs.
17:57 IST: Sehwag and Pujara are the openers for Punjab. Sehwag faced just the one ball in the first over, which he played away for a single. He will be key to KXIP getting a good start.
17:39 IST: Chennai Super Kings decided to bat in their 100th IPL game and celebrated the occasion in style, sending two CSK debutants, Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith and posting 205/4 off their 20 overs against Kings XI Punjab. The two men were only too happy to start things off for the Super Kings and tore into KXIP's helpless bowlers - no one was spared, not even Mitchell Johnson, who went for 47 off his four overs. McCullum (67 off 45 balls) and Smith (66 off 43 balls) added 123 in a blistering opening partnership as Kings XI Punjab continued to look listless. After Akshar Patel removed McCullum, Smith continued to plunder the runs and he found good company in Suresh Raina, who was playing his 100th IPL game too and smacked 24 off 19 balls. CSK lost the momentum after the openers departed but they still managed to pile a daunting total in their IPL 2014 opener in Abu Dhabi, thanks to a Dhoni cameo. Can Kings XI Punjab count on Virender Sehwag, George Bailey and Glenn Maxwell to get them to the target? Stay with us to find out.
17:35 IST: SIX! Bravo joins the party now and the 200 is up for CSK.
17:34 IST: SIX! That was a huge hit from MS Dhoni off the bowling of Balaji. What a start to the final over for CSK.
17:30 IST: WICKET! Raina is done in by Awana and Sehwag takes an easy catch. CSK are 185/3 after 18.4 overs.
17:26 IST: That's the end of Johnson's spell. It reads 4-0-47-0. Chennai Super Kings are 182/2 after 18 overs. 200 on the cards here.
17:22 IST: FOUR! MS Dhoni is off the mark with a cute looking shot- he is not going to hang around here, with CSK on the verge of a massive score. And he finishes the over with another FOUR! CSK are 172/2 after 17 overs.
17:18 IST: WICKET! Balaji makes the breakthrough for KXIP and Smith holds out to Bailey. That's the end of a stunning knock - CSK are 161/2 after 16.2 overs.
17:17 IST: CSK's fans have had a field day in Abu Dhabi. The assault from McCullum and Smith may have left Kings XI Punjab dazed but the Chennai contingent did not mind any bit of it.
17:15 IST: No ball from Johnson and it's a free-hit. But Mitch does well here and keeps Raina to his crease. CSK: 160/1 after 16 overs and they are on course here to get to 200 and more.
17:14 IST: FOUR! That was 150 kmph from Mitch but Raina's bat came down quicker on that one. The ball scorches the grass on its way to the fence. Top drawer cricket this.
17:11 IST: SIX! Stand and deliver from Smith and off Johnson, no less. What a knock this has been from the West Indian.
17:08 IST: FOUR! And another CSK debutant brings up his fifty. And to celebrate the occasion, Smith helps himself to a SIX!, all at Maxwell's expense. CSK: 145/1 after 15 overs.
17:05 IST: DROPPED! Raina gets a life this time as Saha drops a simple chance off the bowling of Dhawan.
17:01 IST: Suresh Raina walks in to bat for his 100th IPL game - he has not missed a single match for his team. And with CSK on 123/1 off 12.4 overs, this is a great time for him to come in.
16:58 IST: WICKET! McCullum goes for another maximum but Maxwell holds on to a great catch in the deep. Just reward for Patel. McCullum departs for 67 off 45 ,
16:57 IST: SIX! A flat batted shot from McCullum and the ball flies over the ropes. You got to feel for Patel, who has done a decent job with the ball so far.
16:51 IST: SIX! Smith this time and this is absolute carnage from the Super Kings. Maxwell the bowler on this instance but there's still no escape from the fireworks.
16:49 IST: Chennai Super Kings are 102/0, halfway into their innings. How are Kings XI Punjab going to come back into this contest?
16:46 IST: 100 up for CSK in the 10th over. What a show this has been by the openers. Kings XI Punjab would do well to keep the Super Kings to less than 200 in their 100th IPL game.
16:44 IST: FOUR! That was tracer bullet from Smith. Patel has done well so far with the ball but his inexperience showed on that occasion. Poor bowling, really.
16: 41 IST: Strategic timeout over and Kings XI Punjab were seen in a serious discussion. Whatever that was, Bailey would hope it works.
16:37 IST: FOUR! Sensational stuff. Fifty from McCullum on his CSK debut, off just 30 balls. This man has been in splendid form for the Black Caps and he has brought it all along with him to the middle-east. CSK: 89/0 after 8 overs
16:34 IST: Mitch Johnson's figures - 2-024-0. These are not encouraging numbers from the best bowler in the team. Who does Bailey look to now?
16:31 IST: SIX! Wow. McCullum does not realise he is up against the best speedster in the world, does he? CSK: 70/0 after 6 overs.
16:28 IST: Johnson back in the attack but FOUR!. McCullum welcomes him with a thundering shot. The Super Kings are batting like kings. Kings XI Punjab have no answer to this ruthless onslaught.
16:26 IST: DROPPED! It was a good effort but Bailey drops McCullum and he responds with a monstrous SIX! It's all happening there in Abu Dhabi. Chennai Super Kings are 59/0 after 5 overs.
16:22 IST: Smith tears into Awana. Two consecutive boundaries and the bowler does not know where to go. A single is no respite for that brings McCullum on strike. It's not a good feeling to be a bowler against the Super Kings.
16:14 IST: SIX! Take that. McCullum slams it over third man and the ball flies over the ropes. What a superb shot from the New Zealand captain. 14 runs off the over and a horrible start for Johnson to his IPL 7 campaign. CSK: 33/0 after 3 overs.
16:12 IST: FOUR! That went like a bullet through covers. Take a bow, Smith. Johnson bowled quick but Smith's bat came down like a rocket on that one.
16:11 IST: Mitchell Johnson in the attack. The fiercest pacer in the world up against McCullum. This should be some contest.
16:06 IST: FOUR! Cracker from McCullum and the ball races away to the fence on the off-side. FOUR! Another one but this time, it's off the outside edge and the ball flies over the 'keeper's head. This is aggression personified from McCullum.
16:05 IST: Awana to bowl the second over. This will be a big test of character for the India discard, up against two of the most dangerous batsmen in world cricket.
16:04 IST: Five wides from Patel - a poor delivery but that was more out of nervousness. McCullum was looking to explode on that occasion and the 20-year-old spinner tried to cramp him for room, but ended up wide off the mark. CSK: 9/0 after 1 over.
16:00 IST: So there they are. Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith, the two CSK openers out in the middle. Smith to face Patel of Kings XI Punjab. And CSK are off the mark with a single.
Playing XIs:
Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni (Captain & WK), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Mohit Sharma
Kings XI Punjab: Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, George Bailey (Captain), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Mitchell Johnson, Akshar Patel, Rishi Dhawan, Parvinder Awana, Lakshmipathy Balaji
15:33 IST: Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and decided to bat first against Kings XI Punjab in their IPL 7 opener. Brendon McCullum makes his debut for CSK.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been the undisputed giants of Indian Premier League (IPL) for several years. Having won the title twice (2011 and 2012), Mahendra Singh Dhoni has marshaled his men well to bring down opposing teams. The last one year though has been unlike any before. Controversies off the field have threatened to steal the thunder from the Men in Yellow. The objective in front of this team though is clear - play hard, play well and play to win not just the title but hearts as well. (Match preview)
Kings XI Punjab are standing in the way of CSK. This team has always been the one to beat to collect full points and move ahead in the table. The script may change this year as George Bailey leads the team under the watchful eyes of the only Indian coach in IPL - Sanjay Bangar. And then there is Virender Sehwag who is a man on a mission - raring to prove that he is still an attacker-par-excellence. The team has several other quality stars including David Miller, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Johnson who can thwart any challenge that is thrown at them. A win in the opening match and a win against a quality side like CSK can bolster the morale of the side and keep it up through the course of the tournament.
CSK coach Stephen Fleming has been candid enough to admit that off-field issues cannot be just brushed aside and are like a distraction for the team, which under normal circumstances comes across as a well-oiled machine on a mission. "There's a lot going on, I won't lie. There are a lot of distractions (leading up to the tournament). I think we were all uncertain about how it was going to play out," Fleming said in a subtle reference to the betting controversy which is now under a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.