IPL 2021, CSK vs KKR: Who won today’s match?

A scintillating cameo from Ravindra Jadeja (22 off 8) lifted the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a tantalizing last-ball thriller in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Set to chase 172 in Match 38 of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL), CSK seemed to be cruising at 127 for 3 after 15 overs. However, after a well-set Moeen Ali (32 off 28) perished to Lockie Ferguson in the 17th over, CSK lost their way as Suresh Raina (11) and MS Dhoni (1) departed in the 18th over.

With 26 needed from 12 balls, KKR had gained the upper hand. However, a nervous Prasidh Krishna (1/40) bowled a short ball and a length ball to Jadeja which were clobbered for sixes over long leg and long on respectively. He followed it up two full tosses which were thumped for fours. 22 came off the penultimate over, leaving CSK only four to get from six balls.

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The drama was far from over, though. Sam Curran (4), who had a poor game with the ball, hit the first delivery of the last over from Sunil Narine straight to long off. Shardul Thakur then ticked one fine to get three crucial runs.

With the scores level, Narine trapped Jadeja leg-before off the penultimate ball of the match. Under pressure, Deepak Chahar came in and slapped a length ball towards midwicket to take CSK past the finish line by two wickets.

It never looked like the game would go that far when in-form CSK openers got the team off to a mesmerizing start in the chase of 172. Chennai raced to 52 by the end of the powerplay. In the third over, Faf du Plessis flicked Prasidh Krishna for a four between midwicket and mid-on before smashing one over the bowler’s head. He took on Varun Chakravarthy in the next over, driving and cutting him for consecutive fours.

Not one to be left behind, Ruturaj Gaikwad chipped Sunil Narine for a boundary over mid-off with ease and then launched him elegantly over long-off for a maximum. Lockie Ferguson bowled the final over of the powerplay and was also punished for two fours - one driven hard through covers and the other slapped over the bowler’s head.

The carnage continued after the powerplay as well. Gaikwad pulled a short ball from Narine over long-on for a maximum and dished out similar treatment to Andre Russell, lofting the first ball from the KKR pacer over the bowler’s head. Russell had his revenge next ball though as Gaikwad (40 off 28) found a leading edge off a flick and was caught at cover.

Moeen Ali came in and kept up the momentum. He clipped a low full toss from Ferguson past a diving mid-on for four and then clobbered the next ball, a short one, over deep square leg for a maximum. A fantastic catch by Ferguson ended Du Plessis’ innings on 43 off 30. The CSK opener charged at Krishna and flat-batted the delivery towards deep point, where the fielder took the catch even while looking into the sun.

Narine kept KKR in the hunt, cleaning up Ambati Rayudu (10) as the CSK batted completely missed his ugly hoick. Venkatesh Iyer then bowled a fine 16th over, conceding only five, leaving CSK to get 40 off the last four. The match got tighter as Moeen (32 off 28) slapped a short ball from Ferguson to Iyer at long on.

Raina, who has slowed down with age, was run-out attempting a close second. And when Dhoni was cleaned all ends up by Chakravarthy, the match seemed to have swung KKR’s way. ‘Sir’ Jadeja, though, had his own plans and executed them to perfection.

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Late burst lifts KKR to 171 for 6 against CSK

CSK pacer Shardul Thakur celebrates a wicket. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Nitish Rana (37 not out off 27) and Dinesh Karthik (26 off 11) scored crucial boundaries to lift KKR to a competitive 171 for 6, batting first after winning the toss. KKR were struggling at 127 for 5 after 17 overs but played some smart cricket to plunder 44 runs in the last three overs.

Rana charged down the wicket to Deepak Chahar (0/32) twice in the 18th over to find consecutive boundaries. Karthik then launched into Sam Curran (0/56) in the penultimate over. After whipping a six towards deep midwicket, he got a boundary off an edge. The last ball of the over, which produced 19, was guided over short fine leg for a four.

Karthik managed another four off Josh Hazlewood (2/40) before perishing caught behind. Rana, however, clobbered the last ball down the ground for a boundary to lift KKR over 170. It was a total they would have taken after having decided to bat first.

The start of the innings for KKR was as enterprising as the end. The first over bowled by Chahar was as dramatic as it could get. Shubman Gill eased his way to two fours, got a leg before decision overturned only to run himself out for 9, unable to control his adrenaline rush.

KKR batters lived dangerously as the edges and mishits landed in empty spaces. In between, Rahul Tripathi lofted Curran for an inside-out six over cover. He also survived an outstanding caught behind off a Curran bouncer as the delivery was adjudged a no-ball for height.

Venkatesh Iyer cracked two fours off Hazlewood. However, he perished to Shardul Thakur’s first delivery, for 18, edging a full and wide delivery. Bizarrely, he went for a review even though the nick was thick and clear.

KKR reached 55 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. Rahul Tripathi threw his bat around and found a few boundaries but skipper Eoin Morgan (8) perished cheaply, smartly caught at long-on by Faf du Plessis off Hazlewood. After taking the catch very close to the boundary rope, he lobbed the ball in the air and adjusted himself to complete the take cleanly.

Tripathi fell five short of a second consecutive fifty. He picked the wrong length to play a reverse sweep and was cleaned up by Ravindra Jadeja (1/21). Andre Russell came in and took a liking to Curran, clubbing him for two fours and a six in the 15th over. Thakur bowled him for 20, finding the inside edge. Rana struggled at the start, but in the company of Karthik provided the final flourish KKR were seeking.

IPL 2021, CSK vs KKR: Who was the Man of the Match?

Thakur was excellent once again with the ball, claiming 2 for 20. He sent back the in-form Venkatesh Iyer and returned to clean up Russell.

Ravindra Jadeja also kept things extremely tight. He gave away only 21 runs while claiming the scalp of Tripathi. He then came in and played an unbelievable cameo to lift CSK out of troubled waters. Gaikwad and Du Plessis cracked impressive 40s for CSK.

For KKR, Tripathi top-scored with 45 while Karthik contributed 26 off 11. With the ball Narine claimed three wickets to keep KKR’s hopes alive, while Chakravarthy was excellent again with 1 for 22.

Jadeja was named the Man of the Match for his fabulous all-round show.