Chennai Super Kings (CSK) registered their 8th win of the IPL 2021 in 10 matches after beating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday (September 26). Ravindra Jadeja was picked as the Player of the Match for his match-winning cameo and outstanding bowling performance.
CSK got off to a good start after both the openers, Faf du Plessis (43) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (40) played handy knocks in the run chase of 172 runs. But they lost the momentum in the death overs after losing quick wickets.
It was Jadeja who came in at number 7 and scored 22 runs off 8 deliveries to bring CSK back in the game. They needed 26 runs off the last two overs and the southpaw smashed four consecutive boundaries (6,6,4, and 4) in the penultimate over bowled by Prasidh Krishna.
"It is difficult. You have been playing Test cricket for five months and suddenly you have to come and play white-ball cricket. It was difficult," Jadeja said in the post-match presentation.
"In the nets also I was working my bat swing. So I was thinking whatever I have done in the nets I have to repeat in the match. The runs I got in the second last over was more important than the wicket because that was match-winning for us," he pointed.
"Everybody does their team role. Rutu, Faf, they gave us a good start, That's what you need as a team, you need to be collective as a team. I was just backing my strength. I knew he had fine leg and square leg up, so he was going to bowl a wide yorker or a slower ball. So I was waiting for that and he bowled a slower length ball and I was ready, luckily I connected off the middle of the bat and we are on the winning side today," he added.
Eventually, CSK needed 4 runs in the final over and Sunil Narine still managed to take the match to the last ball before Deepak Chahar succeded in clearing the fielders for the winning run.
CSK skipper MS Dhoni said the mistakes will be addressed but he's happy to be on the winning side. "It's a very nice victory to have. What we've seen in cricket is at times you play good cricket and lose the game, while at times you don't really play well but still if you win the game - it's slightly more enjoyable for the simple reason that you'll still address the mistakes but going back one and a half hours to Dubai you'll be in a better mood.
"So a terrific game at the end of the day. It was good cricket from both sides and it was a pleasure for the spectators."
(With ANI Inputs)
