Dhoni led side put up outstanding performance to enter Champions League final
Chennai Super Kings players celebrate a Kings XI Punjab wicket during their semifinal in Hyderabad on Thursday. CSK won by 65 runs. (Photo: P. Surendra)
Hyderabad: It was meant to be the match of the tournament. The Chennai Super Kings made it a mash as they smashed Kings XI Punjab by 65 runs on Thursday to set up the Oppo Champions League Twenty20 final against IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders.
Defending a robust 182 for 7, the Chennai lions had Punjab Kings for dinner, mauling them for a mere 117 in the second semifinal to send the rapturous crowd home early. For one who wears his patriotism on his sleeve, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni could have shown his rivals a bit more mercy in accordance with the non-violence preached by father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary.
Earlier, an odd hat-trick by Parwinder Awana notwithstanding, Dwayne Bravo and Faf du Plessis carried Chennai Super Kings to a strong total. Bravo rode on butter fingered fielders to slam 67 off 39 balls that included six boundaries and three sixes while Du Plessis stroked a fine 46 to steady a rocking boat before a late charge by Ravindra Jadeja (13-ball 27) put them ahead.
The Kings XI Punjab bowlers reduced the former champions to 41 for 3 at the stroke of Power Play. That brought Dwayne Bravo and Faf du Plessis together. The duo initially settled down by rotating strike before launching the big hits to put on 65 runs in 46 balls for the fourth wicket and push CSK past 100 in the 14th over when the latter fell, bowled by Akshar Patel.
Chennai Super Kings: D. Smith b Awana 14, B. McCullum c Awana b Perera 6, S. Raina c Bailey b Awana 6, F du Plessis b Patel 46, D. Bravo c Maxwell b Patel 67, P. Negi b Awana 8, MS Dhoni c Karanveer Singh b Awana 0, R. Jadeja (not out) 27, R. Ashwin (not out) 2. Extras (lb1, w5) 6. Total (for seven wickets in 20 overs) 182.
FoW: 1-23, 2-29, 3-41, 4-106, 5-141, 6-141, 7-160.
Bowling: Anureet 4-0-44-0, Awana 4-0-30-4, Perera 4-0-41-1, Karanveer 4-0-36-0, Patel 4-0-30-2.
Kings XI Punjab: V. Sehwag c McCullum b Sharma 0, M. Vohra c du Plessis b Sharma 16, W. Saha b Nehra 6, G. Maxwell c Dhoni b Nehra 0, D. Miller b Ashwin 22, G. Bailey c McCullum b Negi 6, Perera c Bravo b Negi 0, A. Patel b Raina 31, Karanveer Singh (not out) 17, P. Awana c du Plessis b Raina 0, Anureet Singh c Raina b Jadeja 1. Extras (lb2, w1) 3. Total (all out in 18.2 overs) 117.
FoW: 1-3, 2-24, 3-24, 4-24, 5-34, 6-34, 7-61, 8-90, 9-90, 10-117.
Bowling: Nehra 3-0-9-2, Mohit 3-0-14-2, Ashwin 4-0-33-1-8, Negi 4-0-28-2, Jadeja 1.2-0-9-1, Raina 2-0-10-2, Bravo 1-0-12-0.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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