CLT20 Final CSK vs KKR: Raina’s hundred powers CSK to victory

Bangalore: In the final of Champions League T20, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) outplayed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to lift the CLT20 trophy for the second time.at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Suresh Raina scored a powerpacked hundred to make a mockery of KKR's 180-run total to help CSK win their first silverware since 2010 and in that process ended KKR's 14-game winning run.

Chasing 181 runs to win the final, Chennai Super Kings were off to a shaky start. While Smith hit two boundaries in the first over, he got in the same over off Pat Cummins' bowling.

(Photo: BCCI)

However, Suresh Raina and Brendon McCullum steadied the CSK ship after losing Smith early in the chase. Suresh Raina took some liking to his Ranji teammate Piyush Chawla smashing him for two big sixes in the final over of powerplay. The leg-spinner looked absolutely helpless as Raina hit some big blows. By the end of powerplay, CSK had scored 60 for the loss of one wicket.

Raina continued his good show while McCullum gave him a good company as the duo kept KKR bowlers under tremendous pressure. Raina brought up his fifty in 27 balls. The former CLT20 champions CSK brought up their hundred in the 11th over.

While CSK lost McCullum in the 14th overmoff Yusuf Pathan's bowling, that did not stop Raina smashing his way aroun. The likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan and Suryakumar Yadav looked miserable against Raina's all-out approach.

Raina brought up a well-deserved hundred in the 18th over. MS Dhoni then took over from Raina and smashed 2 sixes in the 19th over to take Chennai Super Kings home in a grand style.

(Photo: BCCI)

Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders put up a formidable total of 180 run on the board despite Pawan Negi's superb bowling spell 5/22.

The opening pair of Gambhir and Uthappa made a solid start targeting Mohit Sharma hitting him for two boundaries in the second over of inning. Gautam Gambhir who till now had a little patchy CLT20 looked in a fine nick as he played some big shots without much of a trouble.

By the end of powerplay, Kolkata Knight Riders had put up 54 runs on the board. Robin Uthappa survived a close shout and Gambhir was lucky to not get run-out in the 8th over. However, that did not dampen either's spirit as they continued to attack.

(Photo: BCCI)

Gambhir soon approached fifty with Uthappa giving him a good company. However, their partnership was broken in the 11th over when Pawan Negi foxed Uthappa to give CSK their first breakthrough. Pawan Negi struck one more time in his very next over as Kallis' attempt to hit a big one ended his stay in the middle.

(Photo: BCCI)

However, the wickets in quick succession did not affect Gautam Gambhis. The KKR skipper continued his good day in the office. His stay though eventually got over in the 16th over by Jadeja. But not before he scored 80 off 52 balls to keep KKR in a hunt for a big total.

Manish Pandey then took over from where Gambhir had left. The young Karnataka batsman targetted Ashish Nehra smashing 2 sixes in the 18th over. But Pawan Negi, CSK's best bowler in the final, dismissed Pandey in the 19th over. This was Negi's third wicket of the inning. The left-hander followed it up with one more when he got ten Doeschate stumped to take his tally of wickets to four.

The 21-year-old struck one more time in his final over as he cut short Suryakumar Yadav's stay in the middle. While the other CSK bowlers leaked runs, Pawan Negi shone bright and ended up his 4 over spell with the impressive figures of 5/22.

The last over from Nehra though somehow spoilt Negi's good work as the seamer gave away 19 runs in the final over to allow KKR to a formidable total of 180 in the final.

The Champions League T20 began with a Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings blockbuster and now they would roll the end credits hoping for a tantalising finish. The city of Bangalore is hosting the final between the former champions and the potentially new victors.

(Photo: BCCI)

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Pawan Negi, Mohit Sharma, Ashish Nehra.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (captain), Robin Uthappa, Jacques Kallis, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Pat Cummins, Kuldeep Yadav.