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Kings XI Punjab reigns in thrilling finish

It's heartbreak for Super Kings in Super Over

Chennai: The humdinger at Chepauk twisted and turned before concluding in an explosive tie. Then came the Super Overs. What a finish!

Yuvraj Singh held his nerve under the cauldron, reverse-sweeping the fourth delivery from Muttiah Muralitharan to the fence to provide Kings XI Punjab a tremendous come-from-behind victory.

Chennai Super Kings made nine for two — each side can lose a maximum of two wickets in the Super Over – in five deliveries bowled by Kings XI Punjab paceman Juan Theron.

Hayden bowled

Matthew Hayden was bowled off the second ball, Suresh Raina slog-swept the fourth ball for a six and then was held at cover off the fifth. Theron, rightly, bowled a fuller length.

Would the contest swing again? Mahela Jayawardene dismissed off-spinning wizard Muralitharan's first delivery for a six over long-on. He was held at long-on off the second.

Muralitharan spun one past Yuvraj but the left-hander settled the issue off the next ball.

CSK now has two wins and two defeats – both at home – in four matches. And the thriller here gave Kings XI Punjab its first win in four games.

Exciting over

Earlier, chasing 137 after opting to field, CSK required 10 runs off the final over delivered by Irfan Pathan. The host, then, needed three off three.

The left-armer, holding his nerve, conceded a brace off his fourth ball, sent down a dot ball and then had R. Ashwin caught at mid-off with the final delivery of the innings. Kings XI had given themselves a lifeline.

Earlier, the left-handed Pathiv Patel (57, 58b, 4x4, 2x6) had held the innings together for most part of the chase.

No momentum going

Matthew Hayden biffed a 24-ball 33 but this was a night when the CSK could not sustain momentum.

Kings XI created the pressure with smart bowling and tigerish fielding – off-spinner Ramesh Powar impressed with the new ball – and then showed belief when a defeat appeared imminent.

Murali shines

In the first half of the contest, Muralitharan's three for 16 off four probing overs was the highlight.

Muralitharan varied his speed and controlled the extent of spin.

On those occasions, when he did not push them quicker, he teased the batsmen with his flight and dip; the revolution on the ball produces the loop.

Kumar Sangakkara, foxed by the dip in Muralitharan's flight even as he stepped out, was smartly stumped by Parthiv Patel.

He switched to round-the-wicket and trapped Jayawardene leg-before with a delivery that straightened; Muralitharan harnesses the angles without faltering in line. And he released the ball late.

Pathan shines

For Kings XI, Irfan Pathan, opening the innings, played a few spanking shots. When Manpreet Gony pitched short, he was pulled and slashed to the boundary.

And Yuvraj Singh pressed on with some tremendous blows at the finish. Morkel and the steady R. Ashwin were dumped for sixes over mid-wicket.

The left-hander celebrated in the end even as his team-mates swarmed the arena.

Kings XI Punjab: R. Bopara c Balaji b Morkel 1 ( 8b), I. Pathan b Balaji 39 ( 32b, 5x4, 1x6), K. Sangakkara st. Patel b Muralitharan 15 ( 16b, 2x4), M. Jayawardane lbw b Muralitharan 3 ( 5b), Yuvraj c (sub) Bailey b Morkel 43 ( 28b, 4x4, 2x6), M. Kaif c Morkel b Muralitharan 14 ( 16b), M. Bisla (run out) 7 ( 9b, 1x4), P. Chawla (not out) 8 ( 4b, 2x4), J. Theron (run out) 0 ( 1b), R. Powar (not out) 2 ( 1b), Extras (lb-2, w-2): 4, Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs) 136.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-54, 3-58, 4-64, 5-109, 6-124, 7-124, 8-125.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Morkel 4-0-23-2, Goni 2-0-20-0, Ashwin 4-0-32-0, Balaji 4-0-29-1, Muralitharan 4-0-16-3, J. Kemp 0.1-0-1-0, Raina 1.5-0-13-0.

Chennai Super Kings: P. Patel st. Sangakkara b Chawla 57 ( 58b, 4x4, 2x6), M. Hayden b Powar 33 ( 24b, 4x4, 2x6), S. Raina (run out) 15 ( 11b, 1x6), M. Vijay lbw b Theron 0 ( 3b), S. Badrinath c Sangakkara b Yuvraj 2 ( 2b), A. Morkel (not out) 12 ( 12b, 1x4), M. Gony b Theron 2 ( 6b), R. Ashwin c Kaif b Pathan 2 ( 5b), Extras ( b-2, lb-3,w-7, nb-1): 13, Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs) 136.

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-96, 3-97, 4-104, 5-121, 6-127, 7-136.

Kings XI Punjab bowling: Pathan 3-0-22-1, Powar 4-0-22-1, Srivastava 3-0-25-0, Theron 4-0-17-2, Chawla 4-0-27-1, Yuvraj 2-0-18-1.

Kings XI Punjab won on Super Over

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