Badrinath, who scored a classy 71 not out for a losing cause against hosts Mumbai Indians on April 22, stroked his way to a fine 63 not out in 44 balls as CSK overhauled the Pune's modest score of 141 for six with three balls to spare.
The victory was the fourth for the holders in seven ties, and their first away from home. The win took CSK's tally to eight points and put them on the third spot on the table while the Warriors slid to their fourth straight defeat in six matches.
Two days ago CSK had beaten the Warriors by 25 runs by defending a small target of 142 on a slow pitch at Chennai's M A Chidambaram Stadium.
Text: PTI
Images: AP/AFP
Image: Chennai Super Kings' Subramaniam Badrinath bats during the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match against Pune Warriors in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, April 27, 2011.
Chasing the modest target, CSK lost in-form Michael Hussey (19) in the fifth over, but 30-year-old Badrinath and his Tamil Nadu team-mate Murali Vijay (31 in as many balls) stitched a crucial 61 runs in 7.1 overs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for the comfortable win.
After Vijay's dismissal, Badrinath added 64 runs with Suresh Raina (34 not out in 25 balls with 2 sixes and one four), for the unfinished third wicket to push Chennai across the finish line at 144 for two in 19.3 overs.
Earlier, Pune skipper Yuvraj Singh returned to form with a fine unbeaten 62 to help Pune Warriors recover from a poor start and reach a respectable 141 for six.
The left-handed batsman, who made 0 against Mumbai Indians and a slow 34 in 43 balls against CSK two days ago, started slowly before opening out to slam four sixes and three fours in 43 balls as the Warriors recovered from 41 for four to make a more challenging score after opting to bat.
Image: Chennai Super Kings batsman Subramaniam Badrinath (R) celebrates with teammate Suresh Raina (L) after winning the match against Pune Warriors at The D.Y. Patil Cricket stadium in the outskirts of Mumbai on April 27, 2011. Chennai Super Kings won the match by eight wickets.
Yuvraj first found an able ally in Robin Uthappa (31 in 22 balls) with whom he shared 42 runs for th fifth wicket to steady the Pune innings and then put on 40 runs with Mitchell Marsh (11) to guide his team beyond the 120-mark.
Doug Bollinger was the chief wrecker for CSK with fine haul of three for 21 that included a maiden over in which he took two wickets.
Kulasekara who played his first tie replacing an injured Albie Morkel, Tim Southee and Ravichandran Ashwin picked up a wicket each as CSK once again throttled Pune's batting line-up after restricting them to 117 for nine in the 25-run win at Chennai two days ago.
CSK began their run-chase on a very sedate note against some tight new ball bowling by Alphonso Thomas, who set the tone with a maiden to Hussey, and Jerome Taylor.
Image: Pune Warriors cricketer Yuvraj Singh, left, bats during the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match against Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, April 27, 2011.
The first boundary hit, a square-cut by Hussey off Alphonso, came only in the third over and then there was another dry spell to increase the pressure on the visitors.
The pressure led to Hussey's dismissal when he was brilliantly caught by Manish Pandey in the deep to a short ball from Murali Kartik in the left-arm spinner's opening over with Chennai scorecard reading 19 for one in the fifth over.
Vijay struck his first boundary, a cover-drive off Mitchell Marsh, only in the sixth over.
Two more economical overs held CSK in check at 39 for one before Kartik gave away 16 runs, 15 of them to Badrinath – in the ninth over to ease up the pressure.
Image: Chennai Super Kings bowler Doug Bollinger (2L) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pune Warriors batsman Jesse Ryder
Badrinath danced down the track to cart him for a four and a six and then square cut the bowler for his third four in the over as Chennai accelerated to 55 for one in nine overs.
The two Tamil Nadu players brought up the 50-run stand in 38 balls after Badrinath, survived a confident caught behind shout off leggie Rahul Sharma on 29.
Vijay cleared Jesse Ryder over the mid-wicket fence for his first six but perished in the same over when he was holed out at covers off a wide ball.
Badrinath then stepped up the tempo and ran quick singles with Raina. The right-hander smacked Rahul Sharma inside out over extra cover and then hit two superb fours in a Ryder over to bring up CSK's 100 in 84 balls.
Image: Chennai Super Kings' Suresh Raina, left, and Ravichandran Ashwin celebrate the dismissal of Pune Warriors Robin Uthappa during their Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, April 27, 2011.
Later, he completed his third half ton of the tournament in only 33 balls during which he struck two sixes and five fours.
Raina then carted Taylor nonchalantly for two sixes in the 18th over to make victory a certainty for CSK.
Earlier electing to bat, Pune started off in a flurry with Ryder hitting Nuwan Kulasekera for three successive fours in the third over. But then came the anti-climax when the home team lost two wickets in successive balls and then a third a little later to totter at 28 for three.
Ryder fell to the first ball of the next over from left-arm pacer Bollinger, who then sent back Mohnish Mishra off the next delivery to be on a hat-trick.
Both Pune openers, who had crossed over when the left-handed Ryder was dismissed, fell mistiming the pull shot off Bollinger.
Image: Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina plays a shot during the IPL Twenty20 cricket match between Pune Warriors and Chennai Super Kings.
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