Chennai Super Kings thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 97 runs here on Saturday, extracting a sweet revenge for a string of three losses to them in the last season of the Indian Premier League.
Brendon McCullum (66 off 44 balls) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41 n.o. off 27) propelled Super Kings to 192 for three before the spinners put up a stellar show to limit Kings XI to 95 for nine in 20 overs. Kings XI showed little fight in the run chase as Ashwin (2/14) and Jadeja (3/22) ran through their batting.
With the comprehensive win, Super Kings move to the top of the table with five victories from six games while Kings XI were handed their fourth loss in six matches. The clinical hosts had the game in the bag after they reduced the Kings XI to 55 for five in the 10th over.
Kings XI could never recover after suffering a major setback at the start of the chase, losing Virender Sehwag (1) and the in-form Shaun Marsh (10) to make it 35 for two. Ashwin and Jadeja came to the party after that, foxing the opposition batsmen one by one to guide their team to an easy win.
Opener Murali Vijay (34) hit some lusty blows as wickets kept tumbling at the other end and once he departed, it was all but over for Kings XI.