There is little about T20 cricket, it appears, that fazes Suresh Raina. There is no discomfort, no hesitant shot-making, and definitely no restraint.
On Saturday, India’s heaviest scorer in the format clubbed a stunning 62-ball-109 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to guide Chennai Super Kings to its second Champions League T20 title. Set a target of 181 by Kolkata Knight Riders, CSK strolled home whistling, posting an eight-wicket victory with nine balls to spare.
If Raina stood out for his batting, the young spinner Pawan Negi had earlier starred with the ball, taking a five-for in challenging circumstances.
One-way traffic
In pursuit, CSK lost Dwayne Smith early, but thereafter it was one-way traffic. KKR felt Sunil Narine’s absence sorely; no bowler was able to stop Raina. The left-hander got down to business early, whacking Andre Russell over cover. Piyush Chawla then suffered; he was struck for two sixes in the sixth over, before being dispatched over the sight-screen.
Raina raised his fifty off 27 balls, with a four through the covers off Suryakumar Yadav. Kuldeep Yadav, on the day he was called up to the Indian team, was then given a chastening foretaste of international cricket. Raina sent him twice into the second tier, in an over that fetched 16 runs. The chinaman bowler finished with none for 44 from his four overs.
Almost ignored in comparison was Brendon McCullum’s innings of 39, as Raina and he added 118 (74b) for the second wicket. M.S. Dhoni arrived with 54 runs needed and joined in the fun at once. Raina carried onrelentlessly, although he was reprieved twice — on 78 and 88 — by a KKR side that didn’t cover itself in glory on the field. Raina brought up his third T20 hundred off 59 balls, by which time the contest was as good as over.
Solid start
Inserted into bat, Gambhir and Robin Uthappa allied to raise 91 (65b) for the opening wicket. This was a partnership of few early risks, although it must be said that the bowling exerted little pressure. It wasn’t until the 11th over that CSK made inroads, when Negi had Uthappa stumped with a delivery that sharply broke away from the batsman. The left-arm spinner then claimed Kallis in his next over, but it didn’t stop Gambhir. The captain had begun cautiously but he quickly found his range, lofting Negi over long on, and heaving DwayneBravo — CSK’s death-overs specialist — over square leg.
When Gambhir fell attempting to hurry things up, Manish Pandey took over as Ashish Nehra bled 20 runs in his third over. It was at this stage, though, that Negi thrived, sending back three KKR batsmen — Pandey, Ryan ten Doeschate and Suryakumar Yadav — in the space of five balls.
There was little mystery about Negi’s craft, but the young Delhi bowler appeared in complete control, returning figures of five for 22. CSK may have felt things swing its way, but Yusuf Pathan went after Nehra, who finished with none for 54, as KKR posted 180. That wasn’t enough as Raina proved later.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Robin Uthappa st Dhoni b Negi 39 (32b, 4x4, 1x6), Gautam Gambhir c McCullum b Jadeja 80 (52b, 7x4, 3x6), Jacques Kallis c Nehra b Negi 1 (4b), Manish Pandey c McCullum b Negi 32 (19b, 2x4, 2x6), Yusuf Pathan (not out) 20 (9b, 2x4, 1x6), Ryan ten Doeschate st Dhoni b Negi 0 (1b), Suryakumar Yadav c Nehra b Negi 0 (2b), Andre Russell (not out) 2 (2b); Extras (lb-2, nb-1, w-3): 6; Total (for six wkts. in 20 overs): 180.
Fall of wickets: 1-91 (Uthappa), 2-97 (Kallis), 3-136 (Gambhir), 4-159 (Pandey), 5-161 (ten Doeschate), 6-161 (Yadav).
Chennai Super Kings bowling: Ashish Nehra 4-0-54-0, Mohit Sharma 3-0-27-0, R. Ashwin 3-0-26-0, Pawan Negi 4-0-22-5, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-25-1, Dwayne Bravo 2-0-24-0.
Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Smith b Cummins 8 (5b, 2x4), Brendon McCullum c ten Doeschate b Yusuf 39 (30b, 4x4, 1x6), Suresh Raina (not out) 109 (62b, 6x4, 8x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 23 (13b, 1x4, 2x6); Extras (lb-2, w-4): 6; Total (for two wkts. in 18.3 overs): 185.
Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Smith), 2-127 (McCullum).
Kolkata Knight Riders bowling: Pat Cummins 3-0-32-1, Andre Russell 2-0-14-0, Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-44-0, Piyush Chawla 3-0-38-0, Suryakumar Yadav 3-0-21-0, Yusuf Pathan 3.3-0-34-1.
Toss: Super Kings.
Man-of-the-match: Negi.
