Dubai, Oct 15 (UNI) Riding on South African opener Faf du Plessis' 59-ball 86, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) set a challenging target of 193 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2021 final, here on Wednesday.
Du Plessis sprayed the field with seven fours and three sixes during his big-match knock to take CSK to 192/3 in stipulated 20 overs. The 37-year-old veteran opener lost out the orange cap to fellow opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (32 runs off 27 balls), who amassed 635 runs in the season. West Indies spinner Sunil Narine picked the first two wickets on the night for KKR while remainder of the bowlers went for a plenty.
After being asked to bat first, CSK openers Gaikwad and Du Plessis scored at a canter to put 50 runs on the board by the end of the powerplay.
Ruturaj started off the fireworks with a six and a four in the third over, followed by a couple of boundaries by Plessis in the next over.
The partnership also saw Gaikwad become the highest run-scorer of the season as he surpassed Punjab King's captain KL Rahul's aggregate of 623 runs.
It took KKR's strike bowler Narine to break the 61-run stand as he removed Gaikwad for 32 (26) in the eighth over.
The fall of wicket brought no respite for the bowling side with Robin Uthappa coming in to forge a quick 32-ball 63 stand for the second wicket.
The in-form batter, who scored a fifty in the last game, started off with two sixes in the next over of Al Hasan. Du Plessis then backed him up with two fours and a six off Ferguson from the other end to reach his half- century.
CSK also crossed 100-run mark in the 12th over while Uthappa hit two more sixes before getting trapped lbw by Narine at 31 (15).
Du Plessis, along with newly-in Moeen Ali, let no further harm came their way by adding 68 runs in the remaining seven overs.
The South African (86 off 59) was the last CSK wicket to fall off the last delivery of the innings as CSK reached 192/3. Ali remained not out at 37 (20) at the other end.
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