Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clinched a dramatic two-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a captivating Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 encounter at the Eden Gardens.
A heroic last-over six from MS Dhoni and a stellar bowling performance from Noor Ahmad were the highlights of a see-saw battle.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, KKR made one change, bringing in Manish Pandey for Venkatesh Iyer, while CSK included Devon Conway and debutant Urvil Patel in place of Shaik Rasheed and Sam Curran.
KKR’s innings started precariously with Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11) falling early. However, Sunil Narine (26 off 17) and Ajinkya Rahane launched a blistering counter-attack, propelling the home side to 50 within the first five overs. The introduction of Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad post-powerplay proved a game-changer. He struck twice, removing Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi – both dismissals expertly handled by MSD, who in the process became the first wicketkeeper in IPL history to achieve 200 dismissals (153 catches, 47 stumpings).
Rahane looked set for a half-century before Ravindra Jadeja intervened, having him caught for 48. This wicket was also a milestone for Jadeja, making him CSK’s leading wicket-taker in the IPL with 141 scalps. Andre Russell then injected momentum with a quickfire 38 off 21 balls, supported by the returning Manish Pandey. The pair added a brisk 40 runs before Noor Ahmad struck again to dismiss Russell. Pandey (38 off 24) played a crucial innings to guide KKR to a competitive 179/6.
Chasing 180, CSK’s reply was immediately jolted as Vaibhav Arora dismissed Ayush Mhatre with the second ball. However, Urvil Patel announced his arrival on the IPL stage in stunning fashion, smashing his second delivery for a six and then taking on Moeen Ali with a six, a four, and another six. Ali, however, had the last laugh in the same over as he bowled Conway for a duck.
Wickets continued to tumble for CSK. Harshit Rana removed the dangerous Urvil Patel (31 off 11), followed by Angkrish Raghuvanshi‘s dismissal. Varun Chakaravarthy then claimed the vital wicket of Jadeja in the final over of the powerplay. Despite the carnage, CSK reached 62/5 after six overs – remarkably, their joint-highest powerplay total in IPL 2025 and equalling the IPL record for the highest score by a team losing five or more wickets in the initial phase.
Just as KKR seemed to be tightening their grip, Dewald Brevis, often dubbed ‘Baby AB’, launched an extraordinary assault. After a watchful start, he exploded, notably taking Vaibhav Arora for 30 runs in a single over, and raced to his half-century in just 22 balls. His electrifying innings of 52 was eventually ended by Chakaravarthy, who, with this wicket, reached his 100th in the IPL, becoming the joint-fastest spinner to achieve this milestone in 83 matches.
With the equation still challenging, the experienced MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube forged a crucial partnership. They batted with composure, rotating strike and picking up boundaries to keep CSK in the hunt. KKR’s bowlers fought hard but couldn’t break the stand until the penultimate over when Vaibhav Arora dismissed Dube for a well-constructed 45 off 40 balls.
The equation came down to eight runs required from the final six deliveries. With the Eden Gardens crowd at fever pitch, Andre Russell was tasked with bowling the last over to MSD. The iconic CSK finisher, true to his reputation, dispatched the very first ball for a towering six, effectively sealing the match and guiding his team to a memorable victory with two wickets and two balls to spare.
Noor Ahmad was deservedly named Man of the Match for his exceptional bowling figures.
This defeat significantly dents KKR’s playoff aspirations, as they remain on 11 points with only two matches remaining.
Scorecard:
Kolkata Knight Riders: 179-6, Overs 20, Ajinkya Rahane 48, Noor Ahmad 4/31
Chennai Super Kings: 183-8, Overs 19.4, Dewald Brevis 52, Vaibhav Arora 3/48