IPL 2018: CSK returns and in style
After a two-year layoff, Chennai Super Kings have made a comeback to the IPL and what a start it has been for the men in yellow.
They have won their first two matches and are standing pretty in the top position. Even before this season began, there were heavy expectations and Chennai Super Kings have truly lived up to them.
They won a cliff-hanger in the season opener against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on last Sunday and followed it up with a terrific win against Kolkata Knight Riders last night, which had a nail-biting finish.
Pulsating finish in the season opener against Mumbai
Quite often, the opening game of any tournament sets the tone for the entire season. Rightly so the opening game between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings has turned out to be a blockbuster match.
Put into bat first, Mumbai Indians notched up a decent total of 165/4 in the allotted 20 overs.
Despite losing openers Evin Lewis (0) and Rohit Sharma (15) within the power play, Mumbai middle order with the likes of Ishan Kishan (40), Suryakumar Yadav (43), Hardik Pandya (22*), Krunal Pandya (41*) made decent contributions to help the team put up a fighting total on the board.
In reply, Chennai got off to a wobbling start. Shane Watson was the first to go in the fourth over and the wickets kept tumbling at the other end regularly.
Chennai Super Kings were all but gone when they were reeling at 8-118 in 16.3 overs. Right after this point, things started to change when Dwayne Bravo played the innings of his life.
With 47 to win off three overs and with only two wickets left, Bravo took the attack to the opposition.
He smashed the Kiwi pacer Mitch McClenaghan for two sixes and a four and followed it up with three sixes of the next over of Jasprit Bumrah.
He got out of the last ball of the 19th over, however, an injured Kedar Jadhav took them home with a ball to spare.
This win marked a grand entry into the IPL for Chennai Super Kings after their absence.
Last over win in a nail-biter at home
There was a huge hype for the game between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The prime reason being this was a homecoming of Chennai Super Kings after two years. The game was sold out and the stadium was jam-packed.
As expected this turned out to be a thriller with the game going to the last over.
Put into bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders have put up a daunting total of 202/6 in their allocated 20 overs largely thanks to a whirl winding innings of Andre Russell, who smashed his career best of 88 of 36 balls. His innings comprised of one boundary and 11 sixes.
In reply, Chennai made a solid start to the innings by scoring at nearly two runs per ball. They were 75/1 by the end of the mandatory power play.
However, the innings ebbed and flowed with wickets going down and runs being scored at a good pace.
Sam Billings held up one end and he notched up his half-century in just 21 balls. He got out in the penultimate over with CSK still needing 17 of the last over.
Vinay Kumar was handed over the ball to defend 17 of the last over. However, the pacer buckled under pressure as he conceded a six of a waist high full toss, which was helped away for a six by Bravo.
He controlled the next four balls to some extent and with four needed of the last two deliveries.
Ravindra Jadeja smashed a six straight down the ground to complete an emphatic win for the men in yellow at home.
This was a game that had twists and turns but in the end, Chennai Super Kings were the deserved winners.
What a treat for CSK fans
CSK fans must be overjoyed with their team’s performances in the first 2 games. Despite having a rusty game in the season opener, they showed their real prowess in the second game at home.
These two wins have certainly lit up this season and will be exciting to see how far CSK will go in this tournament after having a great start.