Dhoni fires Chennai Super Kings to final after Gaikwad-Uthappa show against Delhi Capitals
RUTURA Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa smashed respective fifties before skipper MS honi’s cameo 6-ball 18 3x4s, 1x6 fired Chennai Super
ings CS in the Indian Premier League IPL 2021 final here at the ubai International Stadium on Sunday.
CS defeated elhi Capitals by four wickets in ualifier 1 as honi returned to form with a much needed 18 off six balls. In the last two overs, CS needed 24 runs but Avesh
han dismissed set batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad on the first ball. honi whacked a six and match came down to 12 needed off the last six balls.
In the final over, Tom Curran removed Moeen Ali but
honi held the nerves to seal the CS spot in the final.
Chasing 1 3, CS got off to a bad start as Anrich ortje removed in-form opening batsman Faf du Plessis in the first over. But Robin Uthappa along with Ruturaj Gaikwad launched a counterattack and took CS to 59 1 in the first six overs. The duo continued their fine form and brought up the 100-run partnership with both batsmen smashing respective half-centuries.
However, in order to go for a six, Uthappa holed out to Shreyas Iyer in the deep in the
14th over. Iyer kept his nerve to complete the catch as he stepped in and out of the boundary.
Uthappa’s wicket triggered a middle-order collapse Shardul Thakur and Ambati Rayudu
departed in quick succession leaving CS at 119 4.
In the end, honi sealed the deal for CS as the side entered the final with a fourwicket win over elhi Capitals
Earlier, Prithvi Shaw’s stylish fifty and skipper Rishabh Pant late half-century helped elhi Capitals post 1 2 5. elhi Capitals were 80 4 in the 11th before Pant and
Shimron Hetmyer stitched an 83-run stand for the fifth wicket to revive the innings. In the last three overs, elhi Capitals scored 31 runs to get over the 1 0-run mark.