kolkata: If there was something akin to football’s ‘Fergie time’ in cricket, it would be the ‘MS Dhoni over’.
The final over specialist did it again in what could be his one last dance at Eden Gardens to see CSK pull off a stunning two-wicket win over KKR and virtually finishing the season for the Knights.
But it did not look to end this way as KKR began the defence of 180 runs in a perfect manner, returning the opening duo without disturbing the scorers. With Devon Conway and Ayush Mhatre gone early and Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja getting out cheaply, it looked all but over at 60/5.
But Dewald Brevis had other ideas. He went for a leather hunt from one end, hitting the KKR bowlers to all sides of the park with disdain. His 52 came off just 25 balls with four fours and an equal number of sixes to destroy KKR’s plan for taking the wind out of CSK sails.
Upon his departure, his partner Shivam Dube decided to make amends for his past mistakes. With controlled aggression, he took CSK to the finish line. A well-made 45 off 40 balls studded with four sixes and an equal number of fours was exactly what they needed.
The last over was tailor-made for Dhoni. With eight needed of six balls, Dhoni sent the sea of yellow at Eden into raptures as he pulls a low full toss of Andre Russell into the stands.
The rest of the chase was easy-peasy as CSK finished on 183/8. Game over. Dhoni standing tall on the unbeaten 18 runs that mattered.
Earlier, KKR won the toss and Ajinkya Rahane chose to bat like the last two times when they won batting against Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals. Besides, the wicket looked tricky with some loose topsoil that promised spin as the match progressed.
The powerplay saw KKR put up a 70-plus score, even after Rahmanullah Gurbaz flattered to deceive. But Sunil Narine pelted Ashwin for 14 runs in an over and looked to continue his marauding run with bat until Noor Ahmad walked in at the seventh.
Two wickets – first Narine and then of in-form Angkrish Raghuvanshi – left KKR at 69/2 in 7.1 overs. They then brought Rahane and Manish Pandey, who replaced an injured Venkatesh Iyer in the playing XI.