Chennai Super Kings go top of the table after registering their sixth win. Catch all the highlights of the match here.
Chennai Super Kings continued to dominate once again after they edged past defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at MA Chidambram Stadium in Chepauk:
23:41 (IST): That’s it! Chennai win a low-scoring thriller against Kolkata. Needing 17 off the last over, Ryan ten Doeschate gave his best to score 14 (one six and two fours) but it was not good enough to win the match. Captain Cool has grabbed an unbelievable win. They have defended 134 runs. After a thunderous start provided by Robin Uthappa, the visitors failed to capitalise. The opener departed and the runs stopped since then. Ashwin and Jadeja bowled magnificently well before the former got injured. Raina took over and along with Jadeja bowled brilliantly to get them back in the hunt. The masterpiece from Dhoni was when he introduced Bravo. The pitch was slowing down and the West Indian changed his pace really well to stem the run flow. He bowled 3 overs and got 3 crucial wickets towards the end. Ryan ten Doeschate tried to win the game for the visitors but fell short by 2 runs. In the end, Chennai held their nerves and clinched this nail-biting thriller.
23:33 (IST): WICKET! You miss I hit! Full and on middle, Umesh Yadav goes for the big heave but connects nothing but thin air. The middle stick is disturbed. Ashish Nehra gets his first.
23:28 (IST): WICKET! Dwayne Bravo is ecstatic! Another slower one on middle and off, Piyush Chawla comes down the track and looks to heave this one but mistimes it completely. The ball goes high in the air and MS Dhoni calls for it and takes it with ease near the striker’s stumps.
23:22 (IST): WICKET! One more bites the dust! Dwayne Bravo strikes again. A slower one on middle and off, Pat Cummins looks to slog this one but miscues it to deep mid-wicket where Jadeja takes a sitter. He was beaten by lack of pace and was months early in his shot.
23:17 (IST): WICKET! Short ball on leg, Ryan ten Doeschate pulls it to deep mid-wicket and they cross for a single. Although Andre Russell seems to be wanting the second and challenges Jadeja for a suicidal run. He is sent back but the throw is strong enough and Russell is well short of his ground. Big wicket this.
23:09 (IST): WICKET! Chops it on! Slower short of a length delivery around off, Yusuf Pathan looks to pull that one but gets an inside edge onto the stumps. He cannot believe that he has chopped it on. Dwayne Bravo as usual breaks into a dance.
22:58 (IST): DROPPED! Tossed up on middle and off, Ryan ten Doeschate whips it to mid-wicket. Brendon McCullum at mid-wicket anticipates that one, moves to his left but fails to pouch the ball. Rare dropped chance from BAZ!
22:53 (IST): WICKET! Dwayne Bravo takes a stunner! That is absolutely brilliant! He breaks in a jig too. Short on off, Suryakumar Yadav goes for the pull once again but this time around gets a top edge towards mid on. Bravo, from long on, runs in, puts in a forward dive and takes it inches off the ground. The replays show that he took it with one hand and that too his left one. Magnificent, absolutely magnificent.
22:48 (IST): R Ashwin hurts his finger while fielding. His right hand fingers are bleeding and he walks off the field. Not a good sign for the home side.
22:32 (IST): WICKET! Flighted and just outside off, Manish Pandey looks to go big on the on side but miscues it high in the air towards mid-wicket. Dwayne Bravo settles under it in the deep and takes a simple catch. Chennai clawing back into this bout now. Again a wicket off the first delivery for Ashwin.
22:24 (IST): WICKET! Robin Uthappa departs after a fiery 17-ball 39. R Ashwin strikes off the first ball! Flighted outside off, Robin Uthappa reaches for it and swipes it hard but straight to Brendon McCullum, who takes a sharp catch at short mid-wicket. Big blow to the visitors.
22:16 (IST): Chennai have leaked far too many runs in the first four overs. Ishwar Pandey, Ashish Nehra and Mohit Sharma have all been hammered for runs. Robin Uthappa has simply taken the attack back to the bowlers.
21:58 (IST): WICKET! Edged and taken! What a start for Chennai! Almost a similar dismissal to that of Raina earlier in the evening. On a good length outside off, Gautam Gambhir looks to steer it to third man but there is no footwork as he ends up getting a thick outside edge to the keeper.
21:42 (IST): That’s it! Chennai finish on 134 for six thanks to a couple of boundaries by R Ashwin in the final over of the innings. Chennai have disappointed their fans and have registered their third lowest total at home. After a thunderous start from the openers, the run rate dipped radically. The spinners bowled magnificently. Piyush Chawla scalped Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith’s run out brought the downfall. Brad Hogg and Andre Russell tightened the screws and it was a brilliant bowling performance from the visitors. They have backed their captain’s decision to bowl first with authority. It will be a tricky run chase, knowing Dhoni always has something up his sleeves.
21:34 (IST): WICKET! First wicket of this league for Brad Hogg! He uses his experience to perfection. Delivers a fast arm ball on middle, Ravindra Jadeja tries to play off the back foot, after coming down the ground but misses and the ball sneaks in through the gap between bat and pads and crashes into the stumps.
21:30 (IST): Eighteen overs are gone and Chennai are 121 for five. All eyes are on Faf du Plessis and Ravindra Jadeja, who have added 33 runs.
21:05 (IST): WICKET! Another one bites the dust and this time it’s Dwayne Bravo. He looks to go over extra cover but mistimes it straight to long off. Suryakumar Yadav takes an easy catch to give Piyush Chawla his second wicket.
20:58 (IST): WICKET! Another huge wicket for Kolkata! Andre Russell stays persistent with the short one on leg. MS Dhoni swivels to pull but the ball comes off the glove and goes to the keeper who makes no mistake.
0:49 (IST): WICKET! That is a massive wicket! Short of a length around off, angled away. Suresh Raina rocks back and tries to guide it to third man but gets a faint outside edge to the keeper. Andre Russell gets his man.
20:44 (IST): WICKET! Suresh Raina comes forward and across to dab the ball but the ball spins and takes the outside edge towards short third man. Meanwhile they decide to cross for a run. Dwayne Smith comes across and Yusuf Pathan at short third man scores a direct hit at the striker’s end.
20:22 (IST): WICKET! Flighted around off, a slider, Brendon McCullum (19) comes well forward to defend that one but plays the wrong line and is rapped on the pads. Huge and a confident appeal by Piyush Chawla and others. The umpire obliges them with a raised finger.
20:18 (IST): Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith have provided another blistering start to Chennai. 38 runs have been scored in just four overs.
20:00 (IST): CSK openers Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith are out in the middle. KKR’s Pat Cummins starts proceedings.
19:42 (IST): TEAMS
Chennai Super Kings: Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Ishwar Pandey
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Ryan ten Doeschate, Yusuf Pathan, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Pat Cummins, Brad Hogg, Umesh Yadav
19:35 (IST): TOSS! Kolkata have won the toss and they will bowl first. But the big news is that there is NO SUNIL NARINE today. Brad Hogg is included in his place. Morne Morkel and Johan Botha are also out, Ryan ten Doeschate returns to the playing XI, pacer Pat Cummins also included. Chennai remain unchanged from the last match.
Much as was expected of them, Chennai have been in excellent form early on. With just one blemish in their IPL 8 campaign so far, the team has shown the hunger to hunt down oppositions. Little wonder then that Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith are already in the top-five scorers this season. Add to that that Ashish Nehra has bagged 12 wickets and is currently second in the list of highest wicket-takers and it points to a side that is dominating in all departments of the game.
Chennai’s performances in previous matches:
* Beat Delhi by 1 run.
* Beat Hyderabad by 45 runs.
* Beat Mumbai by six wickets.
* Lost to Rajasthan by eight wickets.
* Beat Bangalore by 27 runs.
* Beat Punjab by 97 runs.
Kolkata have not been entirely shabby in their performances so far. Although not as impressive as Chennai, the team stands a good chance to stun the men in yellow. Captain Gautam Gambhir is in good touch and has hit three fifties in the tournament already. Morne Morkel has led with the ball and has claimed nine wickets so far. The team’s previous match may have been washed out with points being shared but the match against Chennai provides them an ideal chance to not just collect points but greatly boost morale.
Kolkata’s performances in previous matches:
* Beat Mumbai by seven wickets.
* Lost to Bangalore by three wickets.
* Beat Punjab by four wickets.
* Beat Delhi by six wickets.
* Lost to Hyderabad by 16 runs (D/L method).
* Match vs Rajasthan washed out. Points shared.
