The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) went down to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 6 wickets at the Chepaul on Sunday evening. With this win, KKR kept their playoffs hopes alive while CSK failed to yet qualify for the playoffs and both teams now have only one game in hand.
Shivam Dube was once again a bright spot for CSK as he’s been throughout the tournament in the middle-order, stamping his authority as the spin basher in the middle-overs. The left-hander scored 48 runs unbeaten runs off 34 balls, smoking 3 sixes in his entertaining innings. Shivam Dube showed the audacity to go after the KKR spinners despite the pitch assisting the tweakers very much.
One of those sixes came off the bowling of mystery spinner Varun Chakravarty, and that landed near the area where the KKR cheerleaders were seated. Chakravarty bowled a full delivery outside the off-stump and Shivam Dube pounced on it, smashing it over covers. Four of KKR’s cheerleaders made hastily movements and escaped from getting hit by Shivam Dube’s six.
Here, watch the video of Shivam Dube’s six that almost took out KKR cheerleaders:
Shivam Dube has been having a wonderful IPL 2023 season as CSK’s middle-order monster. The southpaw has been utilizing his prowess against spin and that has done wonders for both CSK and Dube. So far he’s scored 363 runs at a strike rate of 157 with three half-centuries to his name.
After the loss against KKR, CSK skipper MS Dhoni said: “The minute we bowled the first ball in the second innings, we knew we needed 180. But there was no way we could have got 180 on that pitch. The dew made a big difference in the second innings. We can’t really blame any of our bowlers. Just that the conditions had a big impact on the game. Very happy with what Shivam has done, but important that he is not satisfied and keeps improving. Chahar swings the ball, he knows what fields to take, and he bowls accordingly.”
