'Lucky to be playing under Dhoni': Faf du Plessis after match-winning knock against KKR

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Faf du Plessis looked in amazing form last night during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). du Plessis scored an incredible 95 runs off just 60 balls and remained unbeaten until the end of the first inning. The former South African skipper helped his team reach a mammoth total of 220 runs in 20 overs as he and Ruturaj Gaikwad forged an important partnership at the top for Chennai. After winning the player of the match award for his 60-ball 95 runs, du Plessis said he feels lucky to be playing under Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a long time, adding "It's pleasure to play under him". 

"I am very lucky that I have been playing under MS for a long time. It's always good to have him standing out there and have a cool, calm, collected head. He knows what he is doing. It's a pleasure to play under him," du Plessis said in the post-match presentation. When asked about his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad, du Plessis said, "He is a fantastic young talent and it's beautiful to see him trust his timing and technique because once he gets to fifty he is really hard to bowl to."

Chennai vs Kolkata

Chennai Super Kings won their third game on the trot of IPL 2021 after they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai on Wednesday to take the top spot on the points table. Chennai Super Kings won the game by 18 runs as Kolkata failed to chase down a mammoth target of 221 runs. Batting first, Dhoni and his team had scored 220 runs in 20 overs, courtesy of Ruturaj Gaikwad's 64 off 42 balls and Faf du Plessis's 95 off just 60 balls. Moeen Ali and MS Dhoni scored 25 and 17 runs respectively. However, it was Faf du Plessis who finished it for CSK at the end as he remained not out after the completion of the first inning.  

When Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata came in to bat in the second inning, the team lost their top order batsmen early on in the powerplay as CSK bowler Deepak Chahar came down hard on them with his swing bowling. Chahar picked up 4 wickets at the end of his bowling spell with KKR finishing at 31/5 in 6 overs. Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik brought KKR back into the game with their important partnership. Russell scored 54 off just 22 balls and Karthik was sent back to the pavilion for 40 off 24 balls. Australian pacer Pat Cummins came in and smashed the ball all around the park as he made 66 not-out to take KKR close to the target. But KKR failed to make the chase as others kept losing their wickets while Cummins played his magic. 

(Image Credit: PTI)