DC vs CSK Qualifier 1 Highlights: Chennai enter final after beating Delhi by 4 wickets

PotM, Ruturaj Gaikwad: “Before matches, I just go through my normal routines and try to keep things normal.

The powerplay was a crucial stage, the wicket was holding a bit and we had to get off to a good start. Robin Uthappa batted really well, he took on bowlers and made it easier for me to stay till the end. At times you have to take a few risks.

I plan for two or three overs at a time, try to think about who I can target better. But you also need to take it one over at a time, and make sure the required run rate doesn’t rise too much.

MS Dhoni always encourages me to keep fresh, and try learning as much as possible. You can learn from every game, so I’m trying to do that and just stay humble.”

Rishabh Pant: Obviously, it’s very disappointing. The only thing we can do is rectify our mistake and move on to the next one.

Most of the time, the thought process is that whoever bowls well during the match should bowl the final over. Tom had bowled very well before that last over, so I thought it’s better to use him. 

I thought our score was decent, but we didn’t get enough wickets in the powerplay, and they were off to a flier.

As cricketers, we’re going to work on our mistakes, learn from them and move on.

Chennai Super Kings win by 4 wickets!

After 20 overs,Chennai Super Kings 173/6 ( MS Dhoni (C) (W) 18 , Ravindra Jadeja 0)

Tom Curran to see things through. HE’S GOT A WICKET! He offers up a juicy looking slower ball, and Moeen Ali falls for it hook, line and sinker, as he pulls into the hands of Kagiso Rabada on the boundary line! Four for MS Dhoni on the second ball, he’s hammered that over extra cover. Back to back boundaries, and this one’s thanks to a huge slice of luck as it gets a big inside edge and races off to the rope. Curran started this over so well, but he’s under serious pressure here. And he adds to that pressure with a wide! Four runs needed from three balls. MS DHONI NEEDS JUST ONE BALL! He’s hit a boundary, and Chennai are through to their ninth IPL final, and once again, it’s thanks to their hero MS Dhoni! Chennai win by 4 wickets. DC will now face the winner of the KKR v RCB match.

After 19 overs,Chennai Super Kings 160**/**5 ( MS Dhoni 6 , Moeen Ali 16)

Chennai Super Kings need 24 runs in 12 balls. Avesh Khan to bowl. He needs to come up with something good here, because at the moment CSK are cruising. HE’S DONE IT! Ruturaj Gaikwad’s excellent innings come to and end after he pulls a low full-toss right into the hands of Axar Patel at deep midwicket, it was a tough catch as well! Moeen Ali responds well though, he’s hit a four with a slice to deep point. Single and then Dhoni’s on strike. Bit weird, to be honest, you’d think Ravindra Jadeja would be the first port of call when a match needs to be finished off. Dot ball. Oh wow, Dhoni has just made me eat my words in seconds, he pulls over deep midwicket for six, that was hit with some force! Dot ball to end the over.

After 18 overs,Chennai Super Kings 149/4 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 70 , Moeen Ali 11)

Nortje to bowl his last over. Pant has options for the last two, Avesh, Rabada and Curran are all on three overs. Boundary for Ruturaj Gaikwad to begin, Shimron Hetmyer put in a decent effort at mid-off, but he can’t stop it from reaching the boundary. Dot and a single follow. Ali then goes for the pull, but it doesn’t have enough power on it. Luckily for him, it lands well short of deep midwicket. FOUR! Ruturaj Gaikwad reaches for a wider delivery, and he slices it over backward point for a boundary! Single to end the over.

After 17 overs,Chennai Super Kings 138/4 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 60 , Moeen Ali 10)

Avesh Khan to bowl his third over, and he starts off by conceding three single in a row. Make that four, Ali’s just run one more. Oooh, that’s such a graceful shot from Ruturaj, it’s a waist-high full toss and he whips it between fine leg and deep square for four! Single to end the over, nine from it.

After 16 overs,Chennai Super Kings 129/4 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 53 , Moeen Ali 8)

Five overs to go. The Chennai Super Kings need 51 runs in 29 balls. Nortje to bowl, he begins with two singles and a dot. Moeen Ali then swats to deep square leg and runs two. Ali then rocks back and pulls, bisecting the space between long-on and deep midwicket with surgical precision, that’s four! Good yorker from Nortje to end, that’s a dot.

After 15 overs,Chennai Super Kings 121/4 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 52 , Moeen Ali 1)

Kagiso Rabada’s third over now. He starts with two dot balls to Ambati Rayudu. Rayudu gets off the mark on the third delivery with a single. Oh my word, Shreyas Iyer is really standing out in the field! Gaikwad and Rayudu try to run a quick double, but Iyer at long-on sends in a lightning-quick throw to Rabada at the non-strikers end, who whips off the bails! Rayudu’s a goner! Two more singles to end the over.

After 14 overs,Chennai Super Kings 117/3 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 50 , )

Tom Curran’s third over now. Bit of a lucky break for Uthappa as he gets a bottom edge on it, sending it to fine leg. A single, and then a lovely catch from Shreyas Iyer on the boundary rope to send Robin Uthappa packing. Iyer almost made contact with the rope, but did well to throw it into the air, and then jump out and back in to ensure it’s a legal catch. It’s checked by the man upstairs, but there’s clear daylight between Iyer’s toe and the rope, it’s good. Uthappa was looking very dangerous, so this is a big break for DC. Quickly-run double and a single bring up Ruturaj Gaikwad’s half-century! Alright then, Shardul Thakur on strike, I suppose he’s going to go nuts and hit it as hard as he possibly can. Well, he’s done that, but it’s not got enough power on it, and it’s taken by Shreyas Iyer at long-on!

After 13 overs,Chennai Super Kings 111/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 46 , Robin Uthappa 62)

Ashwin with his second, and once again, while bowling to Gaikwad, he pulls out of the delivery at the last second. Gaikwad’s not enjoying that, he takes a single and then has a moan at Ashwin about it. Oh, gorgeous from Robin Uthappa, he reverse sweeps over short third man, there was no stopping that, it’s gone for four. Another boundary for Uthappa, this one hit down the ground, one bounce and out for four. Three singles to end the over. Time for a strategic timeout now

After 12 overs,Chennai Super Kings 99/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 44 , Robin Uthappa 52)

Rabada back in, and his first delivery is bowled right into Gaikwad’s feet, who can only stop it dead right in front of him. Gaikwad places a slash between third man and deep point, it doesn’t have enough on it to make it to the boundary rope but Gaikwad and Uthappa run their lungs off for three. Dot and then there’s a bit of a break as Uthappa undergoes treatment on his hamstring. Could he have hurt himself while running the third run? Single and then a shorter delivery to Gaikwad, who’s really not been having the greatest time playing these kinds of balls in recent weeks. Single to end the over, five from it.

After 11 overs,Chennai Super Kings 94/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 40 , Robin Uthappa 51)

Axar Patel is brought back in, and he starts off by conceding two runs, before being hit for six by Ruturaj Gaikwad over long-on! Rabada looked like he could have taken the catch, but he’d have had to be at least a couple of feet taller to get that actually. Gaikwad then goes right down the ground over Axar for four! Dot, single and dot to end the over, a big one this.

After 10 overs,Chennai Super Kings 81/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 27 , Robin Uthappa 51)

R Ashwin is brought on in place of Axar Patel. Two singles to begin. Uthappa tries a big pull, but he doesn’t get the contact right, and it lands in a safe space and rolls to deep midwicket. Oh, fabulous bit of trolling there on the part of Ruturaj Gaikwad! Ashwin runs in to bowl but doesn’t let go of the ball, maybe he thought Uthappa had strayed outside his crease. He then runs in again, but Gaikwad pulls out this time! Touche, Ruturaj. A quickly run double and two singles to end the over.

After 9 overs,Chennai Super Kings 75/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 25 , Robin Uthappa 47)

R Ashwin is brought on in place of Axar Patel. Two singles to begin. Uthappa tries a big pull, but he doesn’t get the contact right, and it lands in a safe space and rolls to deep midwicket. Oh, fabulous bit of trolling there on the part of Ruturaj Gaikwad! Ashwin runs in to bowl but doesn’t let go of the ball, maybe he thought Uthappa had strayed outside his crease. He then runs in again, but Gaikwad pulls out this time! Touche, Ruturaj. A quickly run double and two singles to end the over.

After 8 overs,Chennai Super Kings 68/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 21 , Robin Uthappa 44)

Tom Curran’s in to bowl. He begins with three singles, he’s finding his length very well. Ooh, dangerous-looking delivery on the fourth, it whistles just past the outside edge! Single and a dot to end the over, only four runs from it.

After 7 overs,Chennai Super Kings 64/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 19 , Robin Uthappa 42)

That last over was massive, 20 runs off it. DC need this one to be a good one, preferably with a wicket. Axar will continue. Dot to begin, followed by five singles. It’s another quiet over from Axar. Strategic timeout signalled.

After 6 overs,Chennai Super Kings 59/1 ( Ruturaj Gaikwad 16 , Robin Uthappa 40)

Another over for Avesh, lovely switch up of pace on the first ball and Uthappa fails to make contact with the ball despite taking a big swing. He swings again on the second delivery, it’s right in the slot and it’s sent sailing away into the stands over wide long on! He tries the same shot again, it doesn’t connect as well but it’s good enough for a boundary! Uthappa is looking so good tonight! OOOOH, CRISP HIT! It’s pummeled over the bowler’s head for six! AND HE GOES AGAIN! Another delivery in the slot, and this one is lofted over mid off and out for four, what a way to end the powerplay. Uthappa on song!