IPL Match 2, CSK vs DD: Gamechanger - Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra

Defending a modest 150 against Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings pacer Ashish Nehra took it upon himself to get his side to victory. Chennai overcame a valiant innings by Albie Morkel to emerge victorious by a solitary run, and credit must go to Nehra as he ran the opposition batsmen ragged at the start of the innings.

The former Indian national team pacer took the new ball and sent three Delhi batsmen back to the pavillion in the powerplay. Conceding just four runs in his first over, Nehra took two wickets in his second over. CM Gautam and Mayank Agarwal, the latter of whom was looking dangerous, were sent packing by the left-armer.

In Nehra’s third over of the opening spell, he got rid of promising Indian youngster, Shreyas Iyer. The batsmen had no answer to his pace and accuracy with the new ball, and his bowling figures read 3-0-17-3 at the end of the Powerplay.

The 35-year-old wasn’t done though. He was involved in the run out of tailender Amit Mishra in his final over. After bowling a brilliant bouncer, which Mishra missed, Nehra demanded the ball from MS Dhoni after seeing Morkel run towards the striker’s end. Dhoni duly obliged the bowler as he took the bails off the stumps with Mishra stranded in the middle of the pitch.

Nehra finished with three wickets from his four overs, having conceded 25 runs against his former team. Deservingly, he was awarded the man-of-the-match award for his efforts.

For his brilliant bowling and setting up a solid platform for his side’s win, Ashish Nehra gets Sportskeeda’s award for the ‘Gamechanger of the match’.