Five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings endured one of the toughest days in their history after suffering a crushing 89-run defeat against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. The heavy loss knocked the side out of the tournament. To make things even worse for Chennai, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was handed a massive penalty by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match.
Since this was CSK’s second over-rate offence of the season, harsh punishment was imposed under the IPL’s code of conduct. Gaikwad was fined Rs 24 lakh, while the remaining members of the playing XI, including impact player Kartik Sharma, were handed either Rs 6 lakh or 25 percent of their individual match fees, depending on whichever amount was lower.
Talking about the match, Gujarat Titans churned out a dominant display with the bat and piled up a challenging total of 229/4 in 20 overs. Chasing the target, CSK were bowled out for 140 in 13.4 overs, suffering a crushing defeat. The 89-run margin made it the biggest defeat Chennai Super Kings have ever faced in IPL history, highlighting the team's perpetual struggle.