[Watch] CSK team receives grand welcome at hotel after reaching IPL 2021 final
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat the Delhi Capitals (DC) by four wickets on Sunday (October 10) to reach the IPL 2021 final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. MS Dhoni rolled back the years and once again finished the game off in style as CSK edged DC in a thrilling climax to reach their ninth IPL final.
The team received a grand welcome from support staff members and their families as they reached their hotel after the match.
The players walked in amid chants of "CSK, CSK" and a barrage of whistles.
Watch the grand welcome here:
Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur were among the first to walk in, followed by Faf du Plessis, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali. Dhoni's wife, Sakshi Singh, was among the first to greet them.
Robin Uthappa, who played a brilliant knock in CSK's chase of 173, was greeted by his wife and son. Uthappa's son was also celebrating his fourth birthday.
Dhoni, Gaikwad, Uthappa star as CSK reach IPL 2021 final
Half-centuries from Prithvi Shaw (60) and Rishabh Pant (51*), and a gutsy knock by Shimron Hetmyer (37) helped Delhi Capitals reach 172/5 after MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to field.
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#ChennaiSuperKings march on into the Finals of #VIVOIPL 2021. https://t.co/fvlCQaKqLc
Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets while Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Dwayne Bravo claimed one scalp each for CSK.
DC got off to a good start with the ball as Anrich Nortje castled Faf du Plessis for in the first over itself.
However, the in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad (70) and Robin Uthappa - promoted to no.3 - then put on a brilliant partnership to tilt the game in CSK's favor. The 110-run second-wicket stand was crucial to CSK's chase, with Uthappa scoring 63 off 44 deliveries before being dismissed by Tom Curran.
The dismissal triggered some panic as CSK's experiment to send Shardul Thakur at no.4 did not come off. Thakur returned to the dugout for a golden duck and Ambati Rayudu also departed after a run-out, leaving them at 119/4.
Gaikwad, however, kept them going with Moeen Ali (16) for company. The young opener, however, fell in the penultimate over for 70 off 50 deliveries. Gaikwad hit five boundaries and two sixes in another player-of-the-match performance.
CSK still needed 24 to win off 11 deliveries when Gaikwad walked back and Dhoni came to the crease. The former India captain, whose credentials with the bat have come under question this season, reminded the world just why he is considered the greatest finisher in the game. Dhoni held his nerve and took his team over the line, as he had done on so many occasions before.
CSK's "Thala" hit Avesh Khan for a six off the final delivery of the 19th over to bring the equation to 13 needed off the last over.
Tom Curran bowled the final over and got the wicket of Moeen Ali with his first ball. But Dhoni was now on strike, and he hit two boundaries back-to-back before Curran bowled a wide.
With four needed off three, Dhoni did not wait to make it a nail-biter, hitting Curran through the leg-side for a boundary that sealed his side's spot in the final.