Chennai Super Kings pulled off a thrilling last-ball win over Kolkata Knight Riders which lifted the three-time champions back to the top of the Indian Premier League points table on Sunday.
Chennai won by two wickets as it successfully chased down Kolkata’s 171-6 to reach 172-8 in exactly 20 overs.
Ravindra Jadeja (22 off 8 balls) had all but sealed the chase for Chennai when he smashed fast bowler Prasidh Krishna for two sixes and two boundaries in the penultimate over.
But West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine (3-41) had Sam Curran caught in the deep off the first ball in the last over and then trapped Jadeja leg before wicket off the fifth delivery when only one run was needed for victory.
Deepak Chahar ensured Chennai won off the final ball as he swept Narine to midwicket as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team went top with 16 points from 10 games.
CSK failed miserably in IPL 2020 but came back stronger in the 14th edition.
“The important thing was to make the most of what we had learnt and to come back stronger,” MS Dhoni said.
“It’s a nice victory to have. At times you play good cricket and you lose. It is enjoyable when you don’t do so well and still win. It was good cricket from both sides, and a pleasure for the spectators. We bowled well in patches. It’s not easy for the fast bowlers. We tried to give them short spells. 170 was a par score, I felt.”