There are two simple ways to react to a string of defeats. One is to change the combination and hope that the playing XI clicks. Another, which is not preferred by many teams, is to back the experienced players even if they underperform for a few matches and hope they deliver.
While Kings XI Punjab took the first approach, Chennai Super Kings did the latter - as expected - when the bottom-dwellers met on Sunday. Coming into the match in Dubai with three losses from four matches, both teams were desperate for wins.
KL Rahul-led side made three changes with Mandeep Singh, Harpreet Brar and Chris Jordan replacing Karun Nair, K Gowtham and Jimmy Neesham respectively. The three-time champions, who don't like to chop and change unless the situation forces them to, remained unchanged. And their decision proved to be right as MS Dhoni & Co chased down the target of 179 without no loss.
Punjab won the toss and elected to bat first with the real test for both the teams coming in the second innings. Rahul & Co have lost the plot mostly at the death despite their openers having scored more than 500 runs between them, while slow start and underperforming batting line-up have been Chennai's cause of concern.
On Sunday, they had a reason to be relieved. Opener Shane Watson repaid the team management's faith by scoring an unbeaten 53-ball 83 - his 28th IPL fifty. It was exactly what the in-form Faf du Plessis needed - a batsmen to support him at the top and carry forward the momentum. The South African also joined the party, scoring an unbeaten 87 off 53 balls.
Earlier, Rahul led from the front to help the team reach 178/4. With his 18th IPL fifty, the skipper topped the batting chart with 302 runs. His 52-ball 63 included seven fours and a six. Despite losing opener Mayank Agarwal for 26 in the ninth over, Mandeep Singh and Nicholas Pooran's cameo made sure Punjab posted a decent total. In the end, it wasn't enough against an experienced side who arrested their losing streak.
Brief scores: Punjab 178/4 in 20 overs (Rahul 63, Pooran 33; Thakur 2/39) lost to Chennai 181/0 in 17.4 overs (Watson 83 not out, Du Plessis 87 not out).