Chennai Super Kings Continues With Its Winning Ways

After Imran Tahir has the Knight Riders’ batsmen in a bind, Suresh Raina guides the defending champion home

- S. Dinakar

Chennai Super Kings consistently wins the big moments, finds the right men for the occasion, possesses several match­winners.

Not for nothing is CSK a serial winner in the IPL. In this edition, the rollicking side already has one foot in the play­offs after its seventh win.

The five­-wicket away victory, chasing 162, with two deliveries remaining over Kolkata Knight Riders in an engrossing duel at the packed and electrifying Eden Gardens here on Sunday was well earned by CSK.

In the first half of the match, Imran Tahir bowled with heart and craft to scalp four. There was flight, dip, deception and two-­way turn in his bowling.

Superb catch

CSK’s catching in the outfield was outstanding. The vibrant du Plessis held four; a sprinting, diving forward catch at long­off to dismiss Robin Uthappa being sensational.

Then Suresh Raina held centre­stage during the chase even as the KKR bowlers made inroads. When Piyush Chawla pitched short, he cut. When the leg­spinner gave more air, he stepped down to loft the ball straight for a six.

The southpaw pulled, flicked, ran hard and built partnerships during his match­winner unbeaten 58.

The unbroken 41­run sixth­wicket association in 24 deliveries between two the two left­handers, Raina and a rampant Ravindra Jadeja [the latter scored 31 of those], took CSK past the line with two deliveries remaining.