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Mumbai - Virender Sehwag has catapulted the Kings XI Punjab into their first IPL final with a sensational century as they edged the Chennai Super Kings by 24 runs in the second eliminator at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday.
The supersport.com website reports that the Punjab will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL final in Bangalore on Sunday.
Punjab managed 226 for six in their innings, highlighted by a majestic 122 off 58 balls by Sehwag. It included twelve fours and eight sixes.
David Miller was the best of the support cast. He hit 38 off 19 balls, with five fours and a six.
Chennai finished on 202 for seven. A spectacular 87 off 25 balls by Suresh Raina put Chennai in a splendid position in the first six overs.
There was also a late flourish by the Chennai skipper, MS Dhoni, who hit 42 off 31 balls, including three fours and three sixes.
CSK were undone by brilliant ground fielding, excellent bowling by the left-arm spinner Akshar Patel and a vital double-strike by Parvinder Awana.
Raina scored a magnificent 87 off 25 balls, including twelve fours and six sixes to power Chennai to 100 for two after six overs.
But then Raina was run out for 87 when Brendon McCullum attempted a suicidal run.
George Bailey produced an excellent direct hit, which turned out to be the defining turning point of the match.
During the next four overs, Chennai lost momentum.
McCullum struggled to find his rhythm or range against the two spinners, Karanveer Singh and Patel.
McCullum was run out at the end of the twelfth over when he attempted a pedestrian second run and was beaten by a sharp throw from Glenn Maxwell. He was gone for 11 off 15 balls.
In the next over, a double-strike by Awana saw the pendulum swing almost decisively in Punjab’s favour.
Awana had Ravindra Jadeja splendidly caught at backward point by Mitchell Johnson for 27.
In the same over, David Hussey’s pull shot was intercepted by Sehwag for one at mid-on as Chennai was reduced to 142 for six after 13 overs.
Patel continued to frustrate CSK with some accurate left-arm spin bowling. He bowled with plenty of pace and shrewd anticipation. He finished with 1-23 in four overs and was the pick of the attack.
Johnson took 1-44 and frustrated Chennai in his latter spell by denying Dhoni any boundary options.
Earlier, Raina had Chennai off to a rollicking start by hitting the second-fastest fifty in the history of IPL cricket.
After Faf du Plessis departed in the first over for a duck, Raina announced his arrival by slamming 18 runs in the second over, bowled by Sandeep Sharma.
Raina also unleashed his fury on Johnson, dispatching him for twenty runs in the fourth over.
CSK reached 56 after four overs.
Raina completed his half-century off only 16 balls
His range was amazing, as he hit boundaries to square leg, extra cover, mid-on and deep midwicket with aplomb.
Raina bludgeoned 33 runs in the sixth over, bowled by Awana to catapult CSK to 100 for two after the power play period.
But then Bailey had Raina short of his ground with an excellent throw and Chennai saw the match slip from their grasp.
During the Punjab innings, Sehwag targeted the two spinners, Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin, for special treatment.
He also added 110 off 10.4 overs with Manan Vohra (34 runs off 31 balls) for the opening wicket.
Ashwin took 1-44 in four overs, while Jadeja conceded 48 in four overs.
Ashish Nehra nipped out two wickets, but his four overs cost 51 runs.
Teams:
Chennai Super Kings: DR Smith, BB McCullum, F du Plessis, SK Raina, DJ Hussey, MS Dhoni (captain & wicketkeeper), RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, MM Sharma, IC Pandey, A Nehra
Kings XI Punjab: V Sehwag, M Vohra, WP Saha (wicketkeeper), GJ Maxwell, DA Miller, GJ Bailey (captain), AR Patel, MG Johnson, Sandeep Sharma, Karanveer Singh, P Awana
The supersport.com website reports that the Punjab will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL final in Bangalore on Sunday.
Punjab managed 226 for six in their innings, highlighted by a majestic 122 off 58 balls by Sehwag. It included twelve fours and eight sixes.
David Miller was the best of the support cast. He hit 38 off 19 balls, with five fours and a six.
Chennai finished on 202 for seven. A spectacular 87 off 25 balls by Suresh Raina put Chennai in a splendid position in the first six overs.
There was also a late flourish by the Chennai skipper, MS Dhoni, who hit 42 off 31 balls, including three fours and three sixes.
CSK were undone by brilliant ground fielding, excellent bowling by the left-arm spinner Akshar Patel and a vital double-strike by Parvinder Awana.
Raina scored a magnificent 87 off 25 balls, including twelve fours and six sixes to power Chennai to 100 for two after six overs.
But then Raina was run out for 87 when Brendon McCullum attempted a suicidal run.
George Bailey produced an excellent direct hit, which turned out to be the defining turning point of the match.
During the next four overs, Chennai lost momentum.
McCullum struggled to find his rhythm or range against the two spinners, Karanveer Singh and Patel.
McCullum was run out at the end of the twelfth over when he attempted a pedestrian second run and was beaten by a sharp throw from Glenn Maxwell. He was gone for 11 off 15 balls.
In the next over, a double-strike by Awana saw the pendulum swing almost decisively in Punjab’s favour.
Awana had Ravindra Jadeja splendidly caught at backward point by Mitchell Johnson for 27.
In the same over, David Hussey’s pull shot was intercepted by Sehwag for one at mid-on as Chennai was reduced to 142 for six after 13 overs.
Patel continued to frustrate CSK with some accurate left-arm spin bowling. He bowled with plenty of pace and shrewd anticipation. He finished with 1-23 in four overs and was the pick of the attack.
Johnson took 1-44 and frustrated Chennai in his latter spell by denying Dhoni any boundary options.
Earlier, Raina had Chennai off to a rollicking start by hitting the second-fastest fifty in the history of IPL cricket.
After Faf du Plessis departed in the first over for a duck, Raina announced his arrival by slamming 18 runs in the second over, bowled by Sandeep Sharma.
Raina also unleashed his fury on Johnson, dispatching him for twenty runs in the fourth over.
CSK reached 56 after four overs.
Raina completed his half-century off only 16 balls
His range was amazing, as he hit boundaries to square leg, extra cover, mid-on and deep midwicket with aplomb.
Raina bludgeoned 33 runs in the sixth over, bowled by Awana to catapult CSK to 100 for two after the power play period.
But then Bailey had Raina short of his ground with an excellent throw and Chennai saw the match slip from their grasp.
During the Punjab innings, Sehwag targeted the two spinners, Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin, for special treatment.
He also added 110 off 10.4 overs with Manan Vohra (34 runs off 31 balls) for the opening wicket.
Ashwin took 1-44 in four overs, while Jadeja conceded 48 in four overs.
Ashish Nehra nipped out two wickets, but his four overs cost 51 runs.
Teams:
Chennai Super Kings: DR Smith, BB McCullum, F du Plessis, SK Raina, DJ Hussey, MS Dhoni (captain & wicketkeeper), RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, MM Sharma, IC Pandey, A Nehra
Kings XI Punjab: V Sehwag, M Vohra, WP Saha (wicketkeeper), GJ Maxwell, DA Miller, GJ Bailey (captain), AR Patel, MG Johnson, Sandeep Sharma, Karanveer Singh, P Awana
