Chennai snatch dramatic win over Bangalore
Ravindra Jadeja struck an unbeaten 20-ball 38 while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni also chipped in with useful contribution as Chennai Super Kings pulled off a nail-biting four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in a thrilling Pepsi Indian Premier League match, here today.
In a contest which saw fortunes fluctuating from one team to another till the very end, Chennai chased down the 166-run target on the final ball of the last over bowled by R P Singh, leaving the packed MA Chidambaram stadium gasping for more.
With 16 runs required off six balls, Jadeja hit the first ball for a four followed by a huge six over long-on to bring down the equation to six needed off four.
After Jadeja picked up single off the next, Morris got two and then a single off the next to make it two off the final delivery.
Jadeja edged the ball straight to third man as he tried to cut where an alert RCB skipper Virat Kohli completed a clean catch but the visitors' joy remained short-lived after umpire signalled it a no-ball.
Chennai got a run for the overstepping and another one for the single they snatched as the catch was taken, thus resulting in their sensational win over 'Southern' rivals.
Rampaul had struck two crucial blows in the 19th over to make the life difficult for CSK batsmen but Jadeja had other ideas as he again proved his million-dollar worth for the two-time champions.
Earlier, Kohli and AB de Villiers struck fine half centuries and shared 82-run stand between them to help Royal Challengers Bangalore post 165 for six.
De Villiers blazed his way to a 32-ball 64, laced with eight fours and one six, while Kohli cashed on a dropped chance and caught-behind appeal to score 47-ball 58 as the visitors put up a sizeable total after invited to bat.
Earlier, Skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers struck fine half centuries and shared 82-run stand between them to help Royal Challengers Bangalore post 165 for six against Chennai Super Kings
De Villiers blazed his way to a 32-ball 64, laced with eight fours and one six, while Kohli cashed on a dropped chance and caught-behind appeal to score 47-ball 58 as the visitors put up a sizeable total after invited to bat at the MA Chidambaram stadium.
Bangalore were on course to put up a total in excess of 180 on a batting friendly Chepauk track but pacer Chris Morris pegged them back with his twin strikes in the 17th over.
Morris finished with a figure of three for 40, which included the prized scalp of hard-hitting West Indian Chris Gayle and Kohli, while Dirk Nannes, Dwayne Bravo and R Ashwin also chipped in with a wicket each.
Kohli and de Villiers sent the CSK bowlers on a leather hunt as both scored at a brisk pace to enthrall the packed crowd with their dazzling strokeplay.
Both put on 82-run partnership for the third wicket in just 48 balls to lay the foundation for a strong total.
Even after the dismissal of Kohli, de Villiers was just unstoppable as he went about his business in style, hitting CSK bowlers at will.
The South African was dismissed on the last ball of the RCB innings after he was caught by deep extra cover by Bravo off Nannes.
Sent in to bat, Morris gave Chennai early breakthrough by getting danger-man Gayle (4) caught by MS Dhoni in the second over. Morris's good length got Gayle's edge before going straight into Dhoni's gloves.
Next man-in, Kohli combined well with opener Mayank Agarwal and put on a 45-run partnership for the second wicket to take the team's total past 50-run mark.
Agarwal struck few lovely hits to the fence, including a huge six off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja over long-on, before departing for a 21-ball 24 in the ninth over bowled by R Ashwin.
De Villiers showed the utmost sense of urgency as he hit Ashwin for two consecutive fours and then sent Jadeja packing to the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Kohli, who was looking good at the other end, survived a confident caught-behind appeal off Bravo in the 12th over.
Back of length and just outside off, Kohli looked to cut the delivery and got a slight edge as the ball went past the bat. Dhoni and Bravo were almost celebrating the dismissal but umpire AK Chowdhary remained unfazed by the appeal.
Kohli again got a reprieve when Bravo dropped Kohli off his own bowling in the 16th over.
Kohli, however, could not make the most of the dropped chance as he was caught by Dhoni behind stumps off Morris in the very next over, looking for an expensive cut shot.
The same over saw the dismissal of Daniel Christian (2), who was caught by Suresh Raina at mid-wicket.
De Villiers was in his element today as he went all-out in the final few overs, clobbering Morris for a huge six over the deep midwicket boundary and two consecutive fours to bring 150-up for RCB.