DUBAI: Ravindra Jadeja’s crucial cameo and 43 by Faf du Plessis helped Chennai Super Kings to a two-wicket win Sunday over Kolkata Knight Riders that sent them top of the table.
Needing 26 off 12 deliveries while chasing 172 for victory, Chennai reached their target on the final ball in Abu Dhabi to record their third straight win in the Twenty20 tournament.
The left-handed Jadeja, who made 22 off eight balls, smashed fast bowler Prasidh Krishna for two sixes and two fours in the 19th over to leave Chennai needing four to win off the final six balls.
Spinner Sunil Narine bowled the 20th over and tried to defend four runs. He took two key wickets including Sam Curran, for four, and Jadeja to take the match to the final ball with the scores level.
New man Deepak Chahar kept his calm to hit the winning run for MS Dhoni’s Chennai.
The chase was led by an opening stand of 74 between Du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who made 40, before Kolkata’s bowlers clawed their way back.
Narine bowled Ambati Rayudu, Lockie Ferguson sent back Moeen Ali for 32, and Varun Chakravarthy cleaned up Dhoni for just one, as Chennai faltered.
But Jadeja proved his worth at number seven to take his team past Delhi Capitals in the eight-team table with equal points but a better run rate.
Earlier Eoin Morgan’s Kolkata made 171 for six with Rahul Tripathi top-scoring with 45 after they elected to bat first.
Shardul Thakur and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood took two wickets each while Jadeja got Tripathi’s scalp.
Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore take on holders Mumbai Indians in the second match of the day. — AFP
Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 172/8 (Faf du Plessis 43, Ruturaj Gaikwad 40; Sunil Narine 3/41) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 171/6 (Rahul Tripathi 45, Nitish Rana 37*; Shardul Thakur 2/20) by 2 wickets.
