IPL 2018: Match 5, CSK vs KKR, Review - After 1065 days Chennai still CSK's fortress

What a match and what a season it has been so far! It was the first run-fest of the new decade of the Indian Premier League (IPL). While it was Andre Russell who literally spanked the ball in the first innings, Sam Billings smoked 56 off just 23 deliveries to bring back Chennai Super Kings (CSK)  into the game. However, the game went until the last over with the home side triumphing off the penultimate delivery as Jadeja smashed the six. However, it was the knock from Shane Watson and Billings which won them the game heroically.

Delayed toss

The toss was delayed for the game by 15 minutes as the match officials failed to reach the venue in time amidst all the protest outside the stadium due to Cauvery Water issue. Much to the delight of the crowd, MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to field first even as CSK made two changes to their playing XI. They included Sam Billings and Shardul Thakur at the expense of injured Kedar Jadhav and Mark Wood. KKR, on the other hand, handed a debut to Tom Curran by dropping Mitchell Johnson.

Russell special silences Chepauk

The opening duo of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine started off with a bang but the latter was scalped by Harbhajan Singh in the very second over of the innings as he top-edged an across the line shot. Lynn too played few shots before being castled by Ravindra Jadeja. Robin Uthappa played a few delightful strokes before a Suresh Raina’s brilliance on the field sent him back. The ball was punched towards cover for a single but Raina pouched the ball and smashed a direct hit only to send the crowd into a frenzy.

After quick wickets, the score of KKR read a dreadful 89/5 after 10 overs as they required some sensible cricket from there on. Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell joined hands then and resurrected the innings for next few overs. However, the latter was in the mood as he started opening his in the last 5 overs. He whacked Dwayne Bravo, one of the best death bowlers, for total 5 sixes out of which 3 came in the penultimate over of the innings.

Out of the ground!!

The best of the lot was in the 17th over when Bravo missed his yorker by an inch which turned out to be a perfect length ball as Russell cleared his left leg and swung with all his might over long on only to send it out of the Stadium. It was a massive dent to Bravo’s confidence as it went 105 metres long. The onslaught didn’t end until the final over and fittingly he finished the innings with a six to stay unbeaten on 88 off just 38 deliveries with 11 sixes. KKR posted a massive total of 202 runs for the loss of 6 wickets after 20 overs.

Chase begins with a bang

The home side needed someone to play like Russell from the word go and the opening duo of Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu didn’t disappoint. After missing first two deliveries of the innings, the former took full toll of the first over earning 16 runs which started the chase with a bang. His aggression rubbed the shoulders of his partner as well and Rayudu also launched an assault especially on Piyush Chawla in the powerplay.

While Watson took care of the short-pitched deliveries pulling and hooking the ball straight into the stands, Rayudu was stepping out like a master and smashing the bowlers. Both added 75 runs in the powerplay as Tom Curran sent back the Australian cricketer to bring back his team in the game. Though the game was nicely set up now with CSK needing 129 runs in 14 overs.

KKR tighten the screws

Watson’s wicket worked for KKR as the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Sunil Narine tightened the screws. Moreover, an injury to Suresh Raina didn’t work in favour of CSK as he was dismissed playing a tired shot off Narine only to bring Sam Billings to the middle. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni walked out at 4 to a rousing welcome from a raucous crowd and got his eye in after starting slowly as he often does these days. Billings though took the onus on himself and shifted the pressure on the visitors by smashing a couple of sixes which dented the confidence of the youngster.

Thrilling finish to the game

The chase went down the wire and the time had come now to go for big shots as Piyush Chawla scalped the dangerous Dhoni in the 17th over. Surprisingly, Jadeja was sent up the order ahead of Bravo as the over went only for 9 runs to leave the home side with 42 to get off 3 overs. Billings though had completely different ideas as he played a perfect ramp shot off Rusell to score 15 runs off the 18th over. However, it was Tom Curran who scalped in the very next over but not before going for a six as CSK needed 17 off the last over.

The final over didn’t start well though as Vinay Kumar bowled a beamer which Bravo hit for a huge six. Though he got back his composure very well to bring it down to 4 off 2 balls. But Jadeja was the man in the end who smashed the length ball out of the park to start the celebrations once again in the middle. The team is surely up and running now with two out of two victories and CSK is here to stay.

Here’s what Harbhajan Singh tweeted

Brief Scores

Kolkata Knight Riders 202/6 after 20 overs (A Russell 88*; S Watson 2/39)

Chennai Super Kings 205/5 after 19.5 overs (S Billings 56, S Watson 42, A Rayudu 39)

Result: Chennai Super Kings won by 5 wickets

Man of the Match: Sam Billings