RANCHI, India, CMC – Chris Gayle threatened to spoil the party but Chennai Super Kings did just enough to pull off a tense three-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore with a ball to spare, to storm into tomorrow’s final of the Indian Premier League.
Chasing 140 for victory after the left-handed Gayle had top-scored with 41, Chennai stumbled through their innings, eventually scoring the five runs required from the last over, to seal victory at the JSCA International Stadium Complex yesterday.
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo suffered the indignity of a first ball ‘duck’ while his regional counterpart, opener Dwayne Smith, managed just 17, but CSK were rescued by Australian Mike Hussey who stroked 56 off 46 deliveries to keep the innings afloat.
Influential captain MS Dhoni struck a patient 26 down the order to give the innings impetus.
CSK will now meet Mumbai Indians in the final, an encounter that will put Bravo and Smith against West Indies teammates Kieron Pollard and Lendl Simmons.
Sent in, RCB were in deep trouble early on at 36 for three in the eighth, thanks to a brilliant new ball spell from left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra who finished with three for 28.
Gayle was forced to lead the rebuilding effort, facing 43 deliveries and counted two fours and three sixes, and anchoring an 44-run, fourth wicket stand with Denesh Karthik who hit 28 from 26 balls.
Gayle eventually fell in the 14th over, caught and bowled off Suresh Raina’s off-spin, and RCB then needed Safaraz Khan’s cameo 31 from 21 balls, to get up to their eventual score.
In reply, CSK were given a bright start by Smith who hammered three fours off 14 balls, and seemed set to play a cameo. However, he pulled left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc down the throat of deep square leg in the fourth over to leave CSK 21 for one.
Hussey then controlled two partnerships to lay the foundation for CSK’s victory.
He put on 40 for the second wicket with South African Faf du Plessis who made 21 from 22 balls, and a further 47 for the fourth wicket with Dhoni.
The left-handed Hussey perished in the 17th over, after striking three fours and two sixes, but with CSK still requiring 32 from 21 deliveries.
Dhoni stepped up, however, carrying CSK to the brink of victory before falling to the fourth ball of the final over.