 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders Celebrating. |
Kolkata Knight Riders thrashed the defending champions to grab their maiden IPL title in a nail biting finish on Sunday night.Riding high on Manvinder Bisla's 89 off 48 balls. The visitors acheived 191 runs target with five wickets and two balls to go.Earlier, while chasing 191 runs total, Kolkata Knight Riders suffered a big blow in the last ball of the first over when they lost their skipper Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir was bowled out by Ben Hilfenhaus at the score of two runs. After Gambhir's early departure, Manvinder Bisla took control of the chase and slammed 'quick' fifty off just 27 balls to resurrect KKR's chase. Bisla slammed three sixes and five boundaries to reach this milestone.Experienced Jacques Kallis and Bisla knitted precious partnership for KKR in sttering the team to a comfortable position in chase. Both of them built huge 136 runs partnership to steer out Kolkata to a commanding position in the game before Bisla was caught out after scoring 89 runs off just 48 balls. Bisla slammed five sixes and eight boundaries in his stupendous knock.However on the other hand Kallis was holding the fort; he went on to hit fifty in forty balls.KKR still in need of 39 runs when Bravo striked to scalp Laxmi Ratan Shukla at the score of three runs. He was soon followed by Pathan at the score of one run.With Kallis and Hasan on crease, Kolkata needed twenty runs in last two overs. The visitors suffered another blow in the penultimate over when Kallis was caught out at the score of 69 runs with KKR still 16 runs short of the target. But Shakib al Hasan and Manoj Tiwary steered Kolkata to their maiden IPL title.First it was Murali Vijay and then Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey who lead Chennai's attack against the visiting side in the 'grand finale' of the circketing extravagenza on Sunday night here. Murali Vijay (42 off 32), Raina (73 off 38) and David Hussey (54 off 43) powered Chennai Super Kings to 190 runs total against Kolkata Knight Riders.After electing to bat first, Chennai Super Kings started off strongly in their quest for third consecutive IPL title. Murali Vijay and Michael Hussey slammed KKR bowlers to collect quick runs across the ground. Chennai's first fifty came in just thirty five balls.Murali and Hussey added eighty seven runs for the first wicket before Vijay was dismmissed after a fantastic catch by Shakib Al Hasan. With one six and four boundaries, Vijay added 42 runs off 32 deliveries.Despite Murali Vijay's departure, Michael Hussey continued to rain runs from the another end. Hussey took 38 deliveries to slam fifty runs.Suresh Raina, who came in to bat at number two after Murali's departure, took control of the situation and continued the momentum to slam quick fifty of just 27 balls.Hussey was dismissed by Kallis after stupendous 54 off 43 balls in the eighteenth over.While attempting a big shot, Suresh Raina was caught out in the last over at boundary line. He was dismissed by Hasan after a superb 73 off just 38 balls.Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni remained unbeaten at the score of fourteen runs.
