Ravindra Jadeja clinched a thrilling final-ball victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore as Chennai Super Kings pulled off the second highest Indian Premier League (IPL) run-chase.
Jadeja, needing two runs to win off the only ball he faced, edged Vinay Kumar for four to ease the home side past the Challengers’ total of 205 for eight, a feat which had looked unlikely until Albie Morkel strode to the crease.
The South African blasted 28, including three sixes, off the penultimate over before Dwayne Bravo took up the challenge after his departure to add 11 in four balls to set the stage for Jadeja.
A belligerent 68 from opener Chris Gayle looked to have put the visitors firmly in the driving seat with the West Indies powerhouse smashing six sixes, including two from the first two balls of Suresh Raina’s first over, as he raced to a 27-ball 50.
However, the Super Kings, who took five wickets in six balls at the death, responded well despite Muttiah Muralitharan’s three-wicket haul, and 71 off 46 balls from Francois Du Plessis paved the way for the late heroics as they reached 208-5.
Meanwhile, in the evening game Dimitri Mascarenhas claimed a first IPL five-wicket haul to set Kings XI Punjab on the road to a comfortable victory over Pune Warriors.
The 34-year-old Englishman had captain Sourav Ganguly caught off his first ball and bowled Marlon Samuels with his fourth as he returned figures of 5-25 from his four overs to restrict Pune to 115-9. The Warriors, who were bowled out with an over to spare, never really got going with Mithun Manhas’ 31 from 28 balls the only significant contribution in Mohali.
Kings XI opener Paul Valthaty dragged on from Ashok Dinda’s opening ball to the innings and on a green pitch, his side found the going far from easy as they attempted to chase down a modest total. However, an unbeaten 64 from Shaun Marsh off 54 balls guided them home to a seven-wicket win – their first of the season – with 14 balls remaining.
