CRICKET – Chennai Super Kings pushed defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders to the brink of elimination with a nervy two-wicket victory in the Indian Premier League yesterday.
Chennai, who are already out of the playoff race, overcame another top-order batting collapse to reach 183-8 for only their third win in 12 matches. Kolkata lie at No. 6 with 11 points and just two games in hand.
Wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad had earlier picked up 4-31 on a favourable wicket for spinners to restrict Kolkata at 179-6.
Kolkata had Chennai reeling at 60-5 inside the batting powerplay despite young IPL debutant Urvil Patel smashing 31 off 11 balls.
Dewald Brevis (52) and impact player Shivam Dube (45) put the chase back on track with a 67-run stand as Brevis smashed fast bowler Vaibhav Arora for 30 runs in one over to raise his maiden IPL half-century off 22 balls before he got dismissed in the 13th over.
Arora picked up the wickets of Dube and Ahmad in the penultimate over but experienced Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 not out) ensured Chennai doesn’t slip up in the last over as he lofted Andre Russell for six over mid-wicket and No. 10 batter Anshul Kamboj sealed the game with a boundary.
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