Yet another last over the chase, A completely unexpected catalyst, and a CSK win! Wouldnt have asked more for a Sunday, a Tamil new year's day.

Putting the opponent in to bat first, CSK curtailed KKR to 161-8, Eden Gardens saw a total below 170 being scored by any team for the first time in the ongoing IPL. Imran Tahir starred for CSK with 4-27 in a spell that also had 9 dot balls for a man of the match performance.

KKR In: Lynn, Naraine, Gurney
Out: Denley, Brathwaite, Ferguson

CSK Unchanged

Earlier, Naraine fell to Santner as Faf completed a safe catch, as early as the fifth over of the game. He faced just 7 balls and scored just 2 runs. In an attempt to assist the dominant partner Chris Lynn, Nitesh Rana tried to up the ante and failed in the process, As faf completed his second catch of the day, This time Tahir was the bowler. Rana's 21 off 18 balls, Had 3 fours.

In the same over, Uthappa got out for a golden duck, As he sliced the ball across the line; Only to see Faf complete another catch, The best of the lot as he ran all the way from deep and held on despite sliding forward. In the meanwhile, Lynn had his best day at the office, by smashing 7 fours and 6 sixes on the way to his 51 balls 82. An innings which featured 3 consecutive sixes off Jadeja's over, The 14th of the innings.

In the very next over, Tahir stuck twice by dismissing Lynn and Ressul (For ten runs with a four and a six ) Shardul Thakur and Shorey completed the catches at the deep backward square and long on respectively Faf caught for the fourth time in the match, To dismiss Karthik off Thakur's bowling. Karthik scored 18 off 14 balls with 2 fours. In the last over of the innings, KKR lost two more wickets off the last two balls!

Sent in at an uncharacteristic number 7, Gill Perished by slapping a short delivery straight to Jadeja at deep midwicket after scoring 15 runs in 20 balls he got to face. Chawla got run out for a duck without facing a ball.

The last 5 overs yielded just 28 runs for the loss of 3 wickets for KKR. No boundaries were scored after the 16th over. Most importantly, It was Shardul Thakur's 2-18 which would have come as a surprise to everyone including the CSK management today.

In the chase, Faf Du Plessis gave a racy start to CSK by scoring 24 off 13 balls; including four consecutive fours off Russel, In the third over of the innings. While the first and the last ball were dots, All the other deliveries were boundaries, Predominantly in the leg side.

In the first ball of the next over, Henry Gurney trapped Watson bang in front to get the first wicket for KKR. Watson had won four in his 7 ball innings that gave him only six runs.In the last over of the power play, Naraine foxed Faf by tempting with the flight and making the South African go for an agricultural heave, That he eventually missed and hence the ball rattled the off -stump.

Faf played 3 more balls. Yet didn't score anything beyond his score of 24. Exactly after the strategic timeout, Rayudu was dismissed by Chawla in the 10th over as Uthappa completed the catch at cover. Rayudu made just 5 off 11. Soon After, Kedhar Jadhav fell LBW to Chawla in spite of a knock of 20 off 12 balls which had 3 fours and a six. CSK were positioned at 81.4 (11.1 ) at that Juncture.

When CSK had 121 runs on the board, MS Dhoni fell as the fifth wicket, After scoring 16 off 13 with a six in it. Naraine trapped him LBW, As the ball would have crashed on to leg stump as per the review is taken, In the fourth ball of the sixteenth over

With his first substantial knock of the season, Suresh Raina stood unbeaten upon hitting 58 off 42 balls with 7 fours and a six! Ravindra Jadeja's vital cameo of 31 from 17 balls, With 5 fours, Was instrumental in CSK emerging victorious by 5 wickets with 2 balls to spare.

Up until this match, The 10 last completed matches, Have gone to the chasing team. With 7 wins in 8 matches, CSK are extremely close to a playoff slot.The only other instances of teams having 14 points after eight games are MI in 2010 and Kings X1 in 2014. Both finished runner up when they did that.

CSK's next fixture, Is on Wednesday against SRH at Hyderabad.

-Kumaran Kumanan

Image Courtesy : iplt20.com BCCI