IPL: Chennai Super Kings Win An Important Match Against Kolkata Knight Riders

In a must-win match, Chennai Super Kings showed why they are the multiple winners of the IPL, with a last ball victory. With five needed off the last ball, Dwayne Bravo hit a teasing six off Rajat Bhatia to keep Chennai's hopes of qualification alive.

KKR who batted first looked keen on putting CSK out of the competition. Gambhir and McCullum inflicted maximum damage with a partnership of 99 in 11.3 overs. Both of them followed in quick succession, which led to the momentum getting arrested. The former making 62 and the latter 37. Their dismissals was just the opening CSK needed as they strangled the rest of the batsmen. Only some fine hitting from Debabrata Das late in the innings could get the score to respectable proportions.

CSK's innings began just the way KKR's had. Hussey and Vijay flayed the bowlers to all parts of the ground and the game seemed to be headed for an early finish. That changed when Sunil Narine got both of them in one over. The innings stuttered further with Raina's run out. A seemingly easy chase became tougher by the over as KKR tightened the noose, once again through Bhatia and Narine. However, Dhoni pummelled Marchant De Lange for a six and two fours in the penultimate over to bring it to 9 off the last over. Bhatia bowled an excellent first five deliveries, one of which accounted for Dhoni. With five needed off one delivery, he bowled the worst possible ball that anyone could, and Bravo hit a towering six, which just managed to clear the long on boundary. That six reignited Chennai's campaign, and the defending champs look set to repeat what they have been doing in all the editions -- Rising from the Ashes.