Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced a disappointing end to their IPL 2025 campaign, officially getting eliminated from the playoff race after a four-wicket loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. This defeat marks a historic low for the franchise, as it is the first time in their celebrated history that they have failed to reach the playoffs in two consecutive seasons.
The team showed moments of promise but fell short when it mattered the most. MS Dhoni, the long-time captain of CSK, spoke candidly after the game. He admitted that the total posted by his team was slightly below par and emphasized that catching errors and missed opportunities made the difference in such a close contest. Dhoni also highlighted that small details, like not playing the final deliveries of the innings, had a big impact on the result.
“I think the batting – yes, it was the first time we put enough runs on the board. But was it a par score? I feel slightly short. Yes, a bit demanding from the batters but I feel we could’ve got slightly more. I feel we need to take our catches,” MS Dhoni said after the match.
“The partnership between Brevis and Sam was excellent. We didn’t play the last four deliveries, and the second last over four batters got out. In close games, those 7 deliveries mean a lot. Well he’s a fighter (Curran). That’s something we all know. Whenever he turns up he wants to contribute. Unfortunately so far, whenever we tried to give him a chance, the wicket was on the slower side and he found it slightly difficult.
But today’s wicket was one of the best we’ve got at home in this tournament. That’s the reason I felt we needed another 15 runs. It’s the momentum in the middle order (Brevis offers). He’s also a very good fielder, he has power and he can hit good balls for boundaries. And he brings good energy. Happy with the way he’s playing. He can be an asset going ahead,” he further added.
Strong Batting Display but Weak Finish
Batting first, CSK looked in trouble early, losing three wickets during the powerplay. However, Sam Curran played a brilliant innings, scoring 88 runs off just 47 balls, including nine boundaries and four sixes. He formed a crucial 78-run partnership with Dewald Brevis, who scored 32. Curran’s aggressive approach helped CSK recover and gain momentum. His highlight came in the 16th over when he smashed 26 runs off young Suryansh Shedge.
Just as CSK looked to cross the 200-run mark, Curran was dismissed in the 18th over. This dismissal triggered a collapse. Yuzvendra Chahal returned for the penultimate over and turned the match around. After being hit for a six by Dhoni, he dismissed him the very next ball and then picked up a hat-trick by removing Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, and Noor Ahmad. This collapse limited CSK to 190 runs, a total that eventually proved insufficient.
Punjab Kings Clinch Victory with Composure
In response, Punjab Kings began strongly, with opener Prabhsimran Singh scoring a quick 54 from 36 balls. He partnered well with captain Shreyas Iyer, who anchored the innings with a composed 72 from 41 deliveries. Despite losing a few wickets in the middle overs, PBKS never lost control of the chase.
Iyer’s smart batting and calmness under pressure ensured they stayed on track. Even though the match went down to the final over, PBKS maintained composure and chased down the target in 19.4 overs, sealing CSK’s fate and keeping their own playoff hopes alive.
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