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23:58 Dhoni’s IPL best is not enough as Punjab sneak to four run win.
MS Dhoni was at the centre of a stunning batting display as Chennai’s bid to overhaul Punjab’s 197 fell short by four runs.
Chennai needed a stiff 68 runs in the last four overs but Dhoni displayed his finishing skills once again, smashing 47 runs from 18 balls, yet it fell agonisingly short as their chase ended at 193-5 in 20 overs.
Dhoni rained four fours and four sixes as Chennai hit 12, 19, 19 and 12 runs in the last four overs bowled by Andrew Tye and Mohit Sharma.
It was Dhoni’s highest score in an IPL match but it was not enough to see his team over the line.
Score: CSK 193/5; Overs: End of Innings
23:14 Ashwin’s brilliance claims Rayudu
A superb fielding effort from Ravichandran Ashwin in the 14th over ended Chennai mainstay Ambati Rayudu’s (49 off 35 balls) stay at the crease.
The Punjab captain who swooped upon a Rayudu drive, off Barinder Sran, at extra cover threw down the stumps at the striker’s end with a direct hit and caught the batsman short of the crease. Ashwin’s stop caused a mixed between the batsmen with Dhoni sending Rayudu back.
Chennai, who were well behind the asking rate were 122 for 4 after 15 overs, needing another 76 from 30 balls with Dhoni on 31 off balls.
Score: CSK 122/4; Overs: 15
23:00 Rayudu and Dhoni rebuild CSK
Chennai’s seasoned campaigners Ambati Rayudu (40 off 28 balls) and captain MS Dhoni (21 from 17 balls) cut out the frills and got down to rebuild the innings the classical way.
They put their faith in singles and waited for the loose balls to cash in on for the boundaries as they raised 45 runs from 32 balls for the fourth wicket.
Chennai were 101 for 3 after 12 overs, needing another 97 runs from the remaining eight overs.
Score: CSK 101/3; Overs: 12
22:43 Ashwin nails Billings in his first over
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dealt a big blow on Chennai by claiming Sam Billings with a leg-break in his first over. The judgement came amidst high drama because the umpire felt the batsman had edged it as the ball sped past the keeper to the fine leg fence. Despite the umpire’s call to award the runs to the batsman, Ashwin appealed for a review and it turned in his favour as the batsman was found not to have edged it and was plumb lbw.
The exit of Billings, who was their top performer in their last game, means Chennai hopes now rest on Dhoni and Rayudu.
After eight overs, Chennai were 68 for three.
Score: CSK 68/3; Overs: 8
22:26 Tye says bye to Vijay
Andrew Tye struck with his first ball of the match, dismissing Murali Vijay (12 off 10) with a slower delivery. The Chennai opener going for an expansive drive could only loft it high and into hands of Barinder Sran at extra cover.
The surge that was evident in the third over dipped a bit and Chennai were 46 for 2 after five overs.
Score: CSK 46/2; Overs: 5
22:20 Chennai on the move
Chennai opener Murali Vijay and Ambati Rayudu put behind the loss of Shane Watson by gathering 13 runs in the third over bowled by left-arm pacer Barinder Sran.
Rayudu first drilled a straight drive past a diving Ashwin at mid-off and then Vijay followed suit by depositing a short ball into the midwicket stands.
Chenna were 31-1 after three overs with Vijay on 10 and Rayudu on 5.
Watson (11 off 9 balls) was earlier dismissed by a slower Mohit Sharma delivery in the second over.
Score: CSK 39/1; Overs: 4
Punjab fail to breach the 200-mark
Chennai Super Kings managed to keep Kings XI Punjab under 200 by claiming five wickets in the last six overs and restricting the run flow to 48 runs in that phase.
Punjab had got off to a sensational start scoring 102 runs in nine overs, and it looked a total above 200 was well within their reach but they eventually had to settle for 197 for 7 in 20 overs.
Karun Nair (29 off 17 balls) and Ravichandran Ashwin (14 off 11 balls) fell in the last two overs and Dwayne Bravo tightened the screw further by bowling a series of slow off-cutters to concede just four runs in the final over of the innings.
Chennai will be encouraged by their fightback and will be fancying their chances on a wicket that is loaded with runs.
Punjab, on the other hand, will be banking on their spinners led by their captain Ashwin to make inroads and defend the total.
Score: KXIP 197/7; Overs: End of Innings
21:23 Tahir strikes with two wickets in two balls
Leg-spinner Imran Tahir pulled things back for Chennai Super Kings by claiming the wickets of Mayank Agarwal and Aaron Finch off back to back deliveries.
Mayank (30 off 19 balls) failed to clear the straight boundary trying to hoist a leg-break over the ropes and was caught by Ravindra Jadeja, while Finch was trapped plumb leg before wicket with a fastish googly. It was the second straight golden duck for Finch. With two wickets falling in the 15thover, Punjab’s scoring rate dipped a little.
The fall of wickets continued in the next over too as Shardul Thakur induced an edge off Yuvraj Singh (20 off 13 balls) and it was caught behind by Dhoni.
After 16 overs, Punjab had slipped to 160 for five with Karun Nair and Ravichandran Ashwin aiming for a strong finish.
Score: KXIP 165/5; Overs: 17
20:51 Agarwal too makes his presence felt
Inspired by the powerplay of Chris Gayle and LK Rahul, Mayank Agarwal too joined the run feast smashing a six and four off Harbhajan’s final over.
Agarwal’s assault resulted in 13 runs from the over as Punjab galloped to 115 for 1 in 10 overs.
Agarwal was on 16 from eight balls while Gayle was going strong on 61 off 30 balls with seven fours and four sixes.
Score: KXIP 120/1; Overs: 11
20:44 Bravo snaps Punjab’s opening charge
A full toss from Harbhajan Singh was smacked hard by KL Rahul over cover but Dwayne Bravo leapt high and pouched a stunner to end the rampaging opening stand.
Rahul, who had stroked seven fours in his 22-ball 37, had raised 96 in 7.6 overs with Chris Gayle.
Mayank Agarwal was the new man joining Gayle, unbeaten on 59.
20:33 Gaylestorm is definitely blowing in Mohali. The Carribean southpaw reaches 50 with 7 fours and 4 sixes!
It appeared Chris Gayle was making up for lost time as he thumped Deepak Chahar for two fours and two sixes in the last over of the Powerplay.
In all, the sixth over netted 22 runs for Punjab and Gayle sped to 46 off 21 balls.
He then celebrated his fifty with a four and a six off Imran Tahir in the next over.
Punjab’s score after the seventh over was a robust 92 for no loss with Gayle on 56 off 24 balls and Rahul on 35 off 18.
20:25 In no time Gayle has reached 40. He's taken just 19 deliveries and hit 6 fours and 2 sixes. Is a big Gaylestorm coming?
20:20 Making his first appearance in IPL11, Chris Gayle, aka ‘the Universe Boss’, made an immediate impact hitting off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for a four and a six to provide a fluent start to Kings XI Punjab innings.
KL Rahul at the other end, continued with his fine run, with back to back fours in Harbhajan’s same over, which fetched 19 runs for Punjab.
After five overs, Punjab had sped to 53 for no loss with Gayle on 26 off 16 balls, with four fours and a six, while Rahul was on 27 off 14 balls, including six fours.
Score: KXIP 53/0; Overs: 5
19:30 Chennai Super Kings head into the duel against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday night by gaining the toss advantage. Skipper MS Dhoni continued with the trend of deciding to bat after winning the toss at Mohali.
The changes
CSK: Murali Vijay comes in place of the injured Suresh Raina.
Punjab: Two changes. Chris Gayle finally makes an appearance replacing all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, which means he will be opening with Lokesh Rahul and Aaron Finch will bat lower in the order. Axar Patel also sits out owing to a niggle and left-arm pacer Barinder Sran takes his place.
Captains’ speak
MS Dhoni (CSK): Pitch looks good as of now, quite a few venues are getting dew so it is always good to chase.
Ravichandran Ashwin (KXIP): We will treat it just as a normal game.
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