Riding high on confidence after 14 successive wins behind them, it almost seemed that the invincible Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) would make it a fairytale end and cruise to their maiden Champions League T20 title. But having done everything right, KKR faltered where it mattered the most and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made the most of it to clinch their second CLT20 title.
Considering the kind of form KKR were in, it would take something special for CSK to emerge victorious. And Suresh Raina (below) was just the spark they needed.
Chasing a huge 181 in a big match situation, Raina stepped in to bat at nine for one. He showed no signs of stress as he smashed eight sixers and six boundaries in his unbeaten 109.
He was supported well by skipper MS Dhoni (23*) and Brendan McCullum (39) and helped him guide Chennai over the line. But what really made the match a one-sided encounter was the absence of Sunil Narine, who has been KKR’s strike bowler through the tournament. The usually sharp KKR bowling lacked it’s edge today as none of the bowlers were able to maintain a runrate below 7.
Earlier, having been put in to bat, Gautam Gambhir did what he does best, perform in big matches. Leading from the front with a 52-ball 80 he guided his side to a commanding position. Robin Uthappa (39) continued his good run of form but the innings lost steam once the openers departed.
The star in the first innings, however, was Pawan Negi who pulled off an impossible feat in T20 cricket. With the first five-wicket haul of the Champions League T20, Negi picked up the man of the match for his impressive figures of five for 22.
Moment of the match: Usually, the moment of the match is picked from the events of the match. But the one event that hugely impacted this match was the moment when Sunil Narine was ruled out of the last match. Not only was KKR missing out on his exceptional skills, his absence was a psychological blow, which saw them eventually run out of steam.
Man of the match: Picking up five-wicket hauls in any format these days is a huge thing, thanks to the batsmen friendly conditions. But picking up one in the final of the biggest T20 tournament takes some exceptional bowling, and Pawan Negi did that for which he picked up a completely deserved Man of the match award.
Brief scores: KKR 180/6 (G Gambhir 80, R Uthappa 39, P Negi 5/22) lost to CSK 185/2 (S Raina 109*, B McCullum 23*)
Man of the Tournament: Sunil Narine
Golden bat: Suresh Raina
Golden ball: Sunil Narine
