'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQb/2gAIAQEAAAAALmP/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAAB//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAE//xAAiEAACAQIFBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBQAGBxESFCEjQWH/2gAIAQEAAT8AyRp1WUdwna52upeGZDTTIayIgKxHLb72LYfTG5826ajtk0G/jleZwzr6Jx//xAAbEQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBAACBSIxsf/aAAgBAgEBPwC5MVqvEGPWPJ//xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMA/9oACAEDAQE/AIIKSDHf/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After Royal Challengers Bangalore became the first team to make it to the play-offs through a Gayle storm, Chennai SuperKings became the first team to join them in after a convincing victory against newbies Kochi Tuskers Kerala. With this victory, Chennai also maintained their 100% win record at home. Chennai, having now played 13 games are on top of the table at 18 points with a healthy net run rate, and are one point ahead of RCB , whom they face next at Bangalore on Sunday, May 22nd.
Trending
After Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, it came as no surprise to anyone when Chennai decided to bat first. That is what they have been doing this season at Chepauk when they have won the toss. Chennai got off to an average start with Murali Vijay being cleaned up in the third over of a yorker by R.P Singh. Raina fell softly when he miss hit a full toss to mid-on of Sreesanth’s bowling. Badrinath came in next, and looked in his usual sublime touch, till R.P Singh took an amazing catch in the deep to dismiss him of Hodge’s bowling. Dhoni then played his cards, as he promoted the surprise select to the West Indies tour, Wriddhiman Saha above the likes of him, Morkel and Bravo. It proved to be a great move, as Saha went on to make 46 of 33 balls and remain unbeaten till the end. Hussey also made a valuable 32 and guided the youngster well. In the end, Chennai finished with 152 on board, after getting 51 in the last five overs. This is what Chennai have been so good at all season; making full use of the last 5 overs. Kochi had started well, and neew skipper Parthiv Patel would have been disappointed at the missed catches, and probably would have felt that they let off 15-20 runs more than they wanted to. Murali’s comeback to the KTK side, was uneventful as he went for 26 in 4 overs, but without any wickets.
Parthiv Patel and Brendon McCullum opened for KTK. Parthiv Patel went for a poor 6 runs, when he gave a simple catch to the mid-on fielder. Newbie Gyaneswara Rao looked in good touch till he was caught and bowled by Bravo. Brad Hodge then joined McCullum in the middle, and the two built on a steady partnership of 40 odd runs. The problem was they didn’t score quickly enough, and McCullum was done in by Jakati when he tried to up the rate a little. Jadeja came in next, but inspite of havig wickets in hand, they couldn’t get the runs due to some tight bowling by CSK. Dhoni was as usual at his best in rotating the bowlers around, and CSK fielded really well, as they have all season, to keep the run rate high above the 10 mark in the final overs. In the end, it was too tough for KTK as they were short by 11 runs, and have lost their chance of making it to the playoffs as they finish on 12 points out of their 14 games.
Wriddhiman Saha was the deserving man of the match for his unbeaten 46. RCB and CSK have qualified for the play-offs and the next two positions are up for grabs as the Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab battle it out . Mumbai are on 16 points out of 12 games and look favorites to qualify, in spite of their slump in form. KKR and Punjab are both on 14 points, but Punjab have played a game more. Lets see what the IPL 4 has in store for us, and which of the three teams qualify for the play-offs.
