Sam Billings scored a brilliant 21-ball fifty, helping Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets in a thriller.
Chasing a massive 203, Super Kings came out all guns blazing.Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu took the team past the 50-run mark in the very fourth over. Tom Curran dismissed Shane Watson in the sixth over but by then the latter had done his work. The former Australia international scored 42 off just 19 balls. At the end of the powerplay, the scoreboard was reading a daunting 75 for 1.
Watson’s departure allowed the visitors to pull back things. Kuldeep Yadav then dismissed Ambati Rayudu to put the hosts on the backfoot. The Super Kings then suffered another setback when Suresh Raina holed out after scoring just 14. At the end of 12 overs, the Super Kings were 102 for 3. But just when it seemed the game was drifting towards Knight Riders, Sam Billing unleashed some big shots to revive the chase. He reached his fifty off just 21 balls to keep his side in hunt. With 17 runs needed of the final over, the Super Kings reached home with a ball remaining.
Earlier in the game, Andre Russell scored his highest-ever IPL score to fire Knight Riders to a mammoth total. The allrounder scored 88 not out of just 36 balls with the help of 11 sixes and a four, helping his side post 202 for 6.
The two-time champions scored at a good pace right from the start but kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. At one stage they were reeling at 89 for 5 before Russell joined Dinesh Karthik in the middle.
The duo not only steadied the ship but also laid the platform for a good total with a 76-run stand. Russell did the bulk of the scoring during the stand, reaching his fifty off just 26 balls. The stand came to an end in the 18th over when Watson dismissed Karthik for 26.
In the very next over, Russell hit Dwayne Bravo for three consecutive sixes to set the team for a strong finish. His carnage continued till the end as Knight Riders became the first team to post 200-plus total this year.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the match:
https://twitter.com/indiantweeter/status/983760159057956864
Vinay Kumar to DK#CSKvKKR pic.twitter.com/jRGktg3cgS
— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) April 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/Atheist_Krishna/status/983773482038079488
Billings, so good, why did you never play a knock like that for Delhi ?
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) April 10, 2018
56 from 23, well played Sam Billings. But once again, Chennai lose wicket at the wrong time. Too much to do? Maybe
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/Nirmalogy/status/983767394790277125
MS Dhoni still a supremely handy batsman in ODIs.. solid temperament, can build & hold innings! But he's largely a liability in T20s where you need to get going right from the word go… #CSKvsKKR #IPL2018
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) April 10, 2018
Salman – aaj kuchh toofani karte hain
Dhoni – takes the required run rate to 20 runs per over
— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) April 10, 2018
*Required rate: 8 RPO*
*Dhoni comes into bat*
*Required rate: 12 RPO*
*Dhoni continues to defend*Kohli: pic.twitter.com/vITVZI1dd2
— ToDJ (@dardanaak) November 4, 2017
What a struggling innings from Raina. No momentum at all. Blessing in disguise with his injury? Who knows, Jadeja/anyone to smash the spinners. Don't have time to get in. Dhoni taking his age at the other end
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 10, 2018
Gautam Gambhir giving instructions to Dinesh Karthik when Dhoni comes to bat. #CSKvKKR pic.twitter.com/J7s6O9zZww
— sunil the cricketer (@1sInto2s) April 10, 2018
Game on! The wrist spinners in the power play is the reason Rayudu came in ahead of Billings
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 10, 2018
.@Russell12A Are you serious?? #IPL2018
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) April 10, 2018
See, those big muscles on Andre Russell are not for show.#IPl
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 10, 2018
The last shot by andre Russell to slower one of bravo is pure power with great skill. The ball was dipping
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 10, 2018
Andre Russell , remember the name.
11 sixes in his 88 not out and has single handedly given KKR the momentum and advantage. Some of the cleanest striking you will ever see. #CSKvKKR— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 10, 2018
Andre Russell now holds the record of scoring most runs batting at No.7 in IPL beating DJ Bravo's 68 which he scored at Mumbai in 2018. #CSKvsKKR
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) April 10, 2018
Andre Russell is the player you pay 12.5 crores for to retain. @IPL
— M. Sarosh Ebrahim (@msarosh) April 10, 2018
Russell is picking the slower one before Bravo decides on it.
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 10, 2018
Russellmania!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 10, 2018
Suresh Raina has given more no. of hugs than Preity Zinta in the IPL.
— sunil the cricketer (@1sInto2s) April 10, 2018
CSK is just an overload of bowlers imo. You can't have your full time bowler just getting 1 over, as it takes couple of overs to even find their rythm
— Jatin (@LogicalBakwaas) April 10, 2018
KKR scoring but CSK striking regularly. Even for now.
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 10, 2018
Geez! As soon as it is the IPL, Uthappa seems to wake up, on occasions. Cracking shots.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) April 10, 2018
Bang Bang Narine has Chennai crowd stunned with his first over assault. CSK have advantage of batting 2nd but wont want to chase huge target
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 10, 2018