IPL: Kolkata Beat Chennai In A Low Scoring Contest

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated the defending champs Chennai Super Kings in a low scoring contest by five wickets, but not before a minor twist in the tale at the end of the innings. Like the Royals against Delhi the previous day, KKR had the chase well under control throughout, but the final push almost did not come. The little known Debrata Das ensured victory however with some timely hitting at the end.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Chennai had a poor start with FAF Du Plessis failing for once, and the jet-lagged Michael Hussey getting run out for 18 only. An innings of 44 from Raina gave the innings some impetus, but the rest of the batsmen failed to score much in the final overs, as only Dhoni could make a decent contribution. Their last ten overs could fetch only 65 runs. Jacques Kallis once again got two important wickets while Sunil Narine continued puzzling batsmen -both of them conceding not more than six runs per over.

In reply, KKR had the customary early wicket of McCullum going down , as he struggled to score only 2 off 8 balls. Ashwin seemed to have found his groove back and was difficult to get away for any runs on a helpful track. Kallis and Gambhir thereafter joined forces and shared a 70 runs partnership. Kallis was dismissed by Bravo in a fine spell of bowling. The boundaries were not coming, but the singles were available at will. However, a couple of tight overs meant that KKR needed 16 runs in 2 overs, and were probably going the RR way. The crowd too could sense it, and Gambhir who looked calm till now went for a slog off the first ball of Bravo’s over, and was adjudged lbw. With 16 needed off 1.5 overs, the match was tilting towards CSK , but Bravo followed up the wicket with a poor full toss down the leg side which Das dispatched for a boundary. Some hectic running between the wickets meant KKR needed just 6 off the final over to be bowled by Ashwin.

Yusuf Pathan got two off the first delivery and attempted a wild slog off the second ball, which he failed to connect. A similar shot off the next ball, got the edge and Yusuf only managed to hole out – sending the crowd in a frenzy. The man of the moment Das, however smashed the next delivery to the mid wicket boundary to silence everyone.