चेन्नई vs कोलकाता, मैच 38, शेख़ ज़ाएद स्टेडियम, अबू धाबी, 26 September 2021 - कमेंट्री

OUT! CAUGHT! There is life left in this game. Maybe, just maybe there is a twist in the tale. Loopy ball, full and outside off. Curran looks to end the game is a hurry but instead loses his wicket in the process. He lifts the ball towards long off. Kamlesh Nagarkoti, the substitute fielder, is there in the deep, he takes a sharp catch to his right. Can Narine defend 4 runs in his remaining deliveries? 

Tossed up, on off. Thakur looks to push it to the off side. The ball takes the inside edge and goes to the left of the stumps. A dot now. Pressure building.

Thakur kept a cool head and played it fine. Floated full and on leg. Thakur prods and guides it towards fine leg. Varun Chakravarthy gives it a chase and pulls the ball back just before the ropes. The batters pick three runs. Scores are level now.

A dot now! Flighted, full and on the pads. Jadeja looks to flick it but misses. Karthik makes half an appeal but the umpire says no. Going down leg.

OUT! LBW!  Oh my word! What is happening out here? Have you ever seen such drama anywhere else? Narine serves a loopy ball, around middle and off. Jadeja prods and looks to sweep it away but misses it completely. He gets rapped on his pads. Narine puts in an appeal and the umpire raises his finger in a flash. Ravindra Jadeja takes it upstairs straightaway. The UltraEdge shows no bat is involved. The Ball Tracker show it is umpire's call on contact and the ball is hitting the wicket. The final decision is out. 

Deepak Chahar comes in, keeps his head calm and gets the winning runs here. Loopy ball and on off. Deepak Chahar gets low and sweeps it towards deep mid-wicket. The batters cross and pick up the winning runs. CHENNAI WIN THE GAME BY 2 WICKETS.

A length ball, on off. Jadeja pushes it through cover for a single.

Full length and on off. Curran now pushes it through cover for another single.

SIX! Ravindra Jadeja latches onto this one. A short ball, on the bodyline. Jadeja stays back and pulls it over the square leg fence for a maximum. Chennai need more of this.

SIX! KABOOM! Two maximum in two deliveries. Jadeja has come to the party here. A full-length ball, on off. Jadeja hangs back and powers it high in the air. The ball goes onto clear the long on fence for a biggie.

FOUR! CRACKED! It is in the gap. Oh Jadeja! A low full toss, outside off. Jadeja slashes it through cover. The ball races away to the boundary. 16 runs off the last three balls. 

FOUR! AND AGAIN! Ravindra Jadeja is making a joke of the target here. A short ball, outside off. Jadeja stays back and cuts it through point. The ball races away to the fence. Prasidh Krishna got crumbled with the pressure.

 17.1: Varun Chakravarthy to MS Dhoni, OUT! RUN OUT! Good work by Rahul Tripathi in the deep and Varun Chakravarthy does well to clips the bails and get rid of Suresh Raina. Game On! Floated full and on off. Dhoni pushes it through extra cover. This time Dhoni wants two, but they cannot get it as comfortably as the last time. Rahul Tripathi collects the ball in the deep and throws it to the bowler. Varun Chakravarthy collects the ball and clips the bails off. Suresh Raina attempts a dive but it does not take him safely inside the crease. Chennai lose another wicket here.

Flatter, full and on off. Dhoni prods and defends it to cover.

OUT! TIMBER! Varun Chakravarthy is turning the game around for his side. Googly does the trick for him. Varun Chakravarthy serves a googly and on off. Dhoni looks to heave it away but misses it completely. The ball goes through the gap between bat and pad to rattle the stumps. Dhoni is not happy with himself. He has to walk back for just 1.

Floated on the pads. Curran clips it to deep mid-wicket and gets a brace.

On off, pushed to cover for a single.

Flatter and on the pads. Jadeja clips it to square leg for a single.

A length ball, around off. Ali pushes it through cover for a single.

NO BALL! A full toss, this goes above the batter's head, on middle. Raina ducks it under. The umpire signals a no ball. Free Hit to follow.

A good come back by Ferguson. Raina could not make the most of the Free Hit. A full toss and on off. Raina slashes it through cover for a single.

WIDE! A length ball, down leg. Ali hangs back and looks to pull it away but misses. Wide called by the umpire.

A length ball, on middle and off. Ali hangs back and pulls it through mid-wicket. Andre Russell runs to his left from deep mid-wicket and saves a certain boundary. The batters take two runs. But it looks like Russell has pulled a muscle there while fielding in the deep. He is on the ground, outside the ropes.

OUT! CAUGHT! Lockie Ferguson strikes and gets himself into the wicket's coulmn. This wicket has gotten Kolkata back into the game. A length ball, on off. Ali looks to clear the long on fence but does not get the distance on it. The ball flies towards long on. Venkatesh Iyer does not have to move an inch near the ropes. He grabs the ball with ease.

LEG BYE! A length ball, on the pads. Dhoni looks to flick it away but misses. The ball clips the pads and rolls out. The batters collect a leg bye.

A length ball, outside off. Raina punches it through covers. He calls for two and gets two easily. Good running!

On middle, this is worked through square leg for one.

A full-length ball, outside off. Raina pushes it through cover for a single.

Two runs now! A full toss and on off. Ali works it towards point. The batters take off for a quick single. The point fielder collects the ball and scores a direct hit at the non-striker's end. The ball goes towards mid on off the stumps. The batters sneak another single. The umpire takes it upstairs to check the run out. The replays roll in and show that the Ali had his bat inside the crease.

MIX UP! CLOSE! Suresh Raina was a goner this time! A length ball, on off. Moeen Ali pulls it to the leg side. Raina is halfway down the track but was sent back. Venkatesh Iyer runs in, collects the ball, turns and has a shy at the non-striker's end but the ball goes way over the stumps. Raina gets time to get inside the crease in the end.

A length ball, on off. Ali drives it to cover, but cannot find the gap.

A length ball, around off. Ali works it to the right of the keeper off the inner half. The batters take a quick single. Dinesh Karthik charges on the ball and underarms it to the stumps at striker's end but misses. Raina puts in a dive to get inside safely.

FOUR! Up and over! Rayudu gets the welcome boundary. Narine has not had the best of days so far. Rayudu comes down the track and makes room, he lofts it over covers and it goes to the fence.

OUT! TIMBER! Narine hits back! A much-needed wicket for him and his team and this game is right in the balance now. Rayudu skips down the track but Narine slows it up, drags his length back. Rayudu does not hold back as he swings hard but way too early. He misses and the off pole is hit. Another 53 needed now.

FOUR! Pulled away! Short and on the body, Raina pulls it through square leg for a boundary. Great way to get off the mark.

That is brilliantly timed! Shorter and outside off, this is pushed through covers for two.

Quicker this time and on off, Raina pushes it towards cover and gets to the other end.

A single to end! 12 from the over then but a wicket in it. 45 needed in the last 5. On off, Moeen pushes it towards cover for one.

Dealing in singles at the moment are Chennai! On middle, this is worked through mid-wicket for one.

Dots will build pressure! There is one of them! Outside off, it is slapped to point. Moeen Ali will probably target the spinner now. Just get the feeling.

Clever from Varun! Fires it just outside off, this one skids through. Moeen once again looks to hit it through the off side but misses.

A single! Comes down the track and the length is shortened, it is slapped through covers for one.

Just short! That is a superb stop in the end! Rayudu comes down the track but does not get to the pitch of the ball. He looks to go over long on but does not time it that well. Iyer there runs in, this one does not carry. He does well to stop it though. Just the one.

A dot to end and Kolkata are right back into the game here. 57 needed in 36 now! Flatter and outside off, Ali looks to play the sweep but misses.

WIDE! 65 needed in 48 now! Down the leg side, Rayudu looks to flick but misses. Wided.

A full ball on off, Rayudu strokes it to mid off and takes one.

Outside off, this is flayed away through covers for one.

Half an appeal but turned down! Shortish and on off, Rayudu comes back and looks to flick but misses to get hit high on the pads.

Another short one, Rayudu looks to pull. he mistimes it completely towards mid-wicket for one.

Just a single again! A decent over so far, needs to end it well though. On middle, it is pulled through mid-wicket for one.

He does end it well, 5 from the over then! Fuller and on off, this is hit to mid off for one. 60 needed in 7 overs.

A single now! On the pads, this is worked through mid-wicket for one.

A dot! They need a lot more of these! Around off, this is guided to point.

OUT! TAKEN! That is a superb catch! It looked like it was going straight into Ferguson's hands but he had the sun in his eyes and it was swirling. Outstanding and there comes the wicket Kolkata needed. Faf walks back 7 short of a half ton. Kolkata now have a sniff. 70 needed in 51. Faf comes down the track and this is bowled short and outside off. Faf slaps it hard towards sweeper cover. Ferguson there, seems to have lost sight of the ball initially but in the end, takes it behind him.

Easy run! On middle, this is worked through mid-wicket. A single.

Length and outside off, Rayudu walks across and looks to flick. He gets an inside edge onto the pads. It goes down to third man for one.

Two to end but a good over for Kolkata! They would love a couple more like this! Shorter and on middle, this is pulled towards deep mid-wicket for two.

Angled into the pads, this is worked through square leg for one.

FOUR! Finds the gap! Moeen is dealing in boundaries now! Outside off, this is hit through covers. This one races away to the fence.

He's confident now in playing the pull! Shorter and on the body, he pulls it towards fine leg for one.

FOUR! Just wide and this game is slipping out of Kolkata's hands quickly! Shorter and on the body, Faf looks to pull, it goes more off the glove wide of the diving keeper and to the fine leg fence. Second boundary in the over.

Shorter and on middle, this is pulled through mid-wicket for one.

Another one on the shorter side, this is pulled through square leg for one more. Another very good over. 71 needed in 54.

A length ball, on the pads. Faf du Plessis flicks it to deep square leg and rotates the strike.

Slightly short and on off. Ali hangs back and looks to pull it away. The ball goes towards mid on off the bottom end of the blade.

A good-length ball, on off. Ali taps it to point.

A good-length ball, around middle and leg. Ali stays back and looks to flick it away. The ball takes the inner half and lands in front of him.

FOUR! Nice shot! A full-length ball, on middle. Ali hangs back and flicks it past mid on. The bal races away to the boundary.

SIX! BANG! What an end to the over. Ferguson bangs in a short delivery, on off. Ali stays back and smokes it over the square leg fence for a biggie. 

SIX! BOOM! Welcome to the attack says Ruturaj Gaikwad. A length ball, on off. Gaikwad comes down the track and powers it over the long off fence for a biggie.

OUT! CAUGHT! A good comeback by Andre Russell. He draws the first blood. Russell serves a length ball, on the pads. Gaikwad is a little early into his shot. He looks to flick it to the leg side. But the ball takes the leading edge and floats towards cover. Eoin Morgan takes the simplest of catches there. The stand of 74 runs has been broken finally.

Andre Russell bangs in a short delivery on off. Ali stays back and looks to pull it away but misses.

A length ball, around off. Ali hangs back and guides it towards third man for a single.

Slightly short and on off. Faf du Plessis stays back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket. He calls for two and gets two easily.

A full-length ball, outside off. Faf du Plessis prods and drives it through cover. They take one. A good over by Russell.

Floated, around off. Ruturaj Gaikwad defends it back to the bowler.

Flatter and around leg. Ruturaj Gaikwad tucks it to mid-wicket for a run.

Loopy ball, full and on off. Faf du Plessis drills it towards long on for another single.

Tossed up, on off. Ruturaj Gaikwad skips down the track and pushes it towards long on for a run.

Floated, on off. Faf du Plessis hangs back and pushes it to point for another single.

Full and on off. Gaikwad prods and defends it to cover. They take another single. Good batting by the pair. They are making sure to keep the runs ticking.

Flatter and around leg. Gaikwad stays back and defends it back to the bowler.

SIX! BANG! Ruturaj Gaikwad continues on his merry way. A short ball, around middle and off. Gaikwad goes back and pulls it wide of long on for a maximum.

Full and on off. Gaikwad pushes it to mid off for a single.

Darted on the pads. Faf du Plessis stays back and flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Floated full and on off. Ruturaj Gaikwad pushes it towards mid off for another single.

Excellent running! Loopy ball, down leg. Faf du Plessis gets behind the line of the delivery and flicks it through square leg. The batters take two this time. 11 runs coming off the over. Narine continues to be expensive.

FOUR! Cracking shot! A full-length ball, around off. Faf du Plessis drives it through cover. The ball races away to the boundary.

A full toss and on off. Faf du Plessis pushes it past point. The batters cross.

Another single! A full-length ball, on the pads. Gaikwad tucks it towards mid on. They take one.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Faf du Plessis gets the second boundary of the over. Full and on off. Faf du Plessis hangs back and slaps it over the bowler's head. The ball ends up in the boundary at long off.

Ferguson with the lone appeal, the umpire remains unmoved. A full-length ball, outside off. Faf du Plessis looks to push it to the off side but misses. The ball beats the outside edge. Ferguson puts in an appeal but the umpire says no. There was a sound but it was the bat hitting the pitch.

PLAY AND A MISS! Slower, length ball, outside off. Faf du Plessis hangs back and looks to cut it away but misses. The ball bounces over the blade and goes towards the keeper. 10 runs off the over. Another great over for Chennai.

Floated on middle, Gaikwad nudges it to the leg side for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Gaikwad is some player! Tossed up on off, Gaikwad uses his feet and then lifts it over mid off for a boundary.

Shortish and outside off, Gaikwad punches it to cover.

SIX! This has gone all the way! What a player! Loopy ball on off, Gaikwad dances down and then just nonchalantly lifts it over long off for a biggie.

Flatter on middle, Gaikwad works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Flatter ball on middle, du Plessis flicks it to deep square leg for a single. An expensive first over from Narine.

Flatter ball on the pads, du Plessis looks to flick but it goes off the pads to the leg side for a leg bye.

Floated ball on middle, Gaikwad dances down the track and then flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! How good a shot is that from du Plessis? Loopy ball outside off, du Plessis drives it through extra cover. The long off fielder comes across, puts in a valiant slide but in vain. A boundary.

FOUR! Exquisite! Quicker ball outside off, du Plessis plays it through cover for a boundary.

Tossed up on off, du Plessis defends it back to the bowler.

Tossed up on off, du Plessis defends it out.

FOUR! No one moved! That is some shot from du Plessis. Fullish ball on middle, du Plessis flicks it through mid-wicket for a boundary.

On a length on the pads, du Plessis flicks it to square leg.

FOUR! Whacked! Length ball outside off, du Plessis dances down the track and then lifts it over mid on for a boundary.

Good-length ball on off, du Plessis defends it to point.

Length ball on middle and leg, du Plessis works it to square leg for one.

Length ball on off, Gaikwad pushes it to cover.

Gaikwad is looking good again! Full ball outside off, Gaikwad drives it through extra cover and picks up two before the fielder cuts it off.

Fullish ball outside off, Gaikwad pushes it to deep point for one.

Back of a length and on middle, du Plessis hops and works it to mid-wicket for one.

On a length on middle, tucked to square leg.

Lovely shot and lovely stuff in the field! Full ball outside off, Gaikwad drives it to cover but the fielder there does really well to dive and make the stop. Saved some runs there.

Good-length ball on the pads, Ruturaj looks to flick but it goes off the pads to the left of the keeper. Karthik dives and makes a really good stop.

Krishna starts with a good-length ball on off, Gaikwad defends it to point.

Fullish ball on middle, Gaikwad works it to mid on. 

FOUR! Superb timing! Lovely stuff from Gaikwad! Shortish ball outside off, Gaikwad plays the ball late and then times it through cover-point for a boundary.

Length ball on middle, Gaikwad flicks it to mid-wicket.

A quick single! Good-length delivery on middle, Gaikwad tucks it to mid on and takes a quick single.

Just short of the fielder! Not a bad first over from Prasidh Krishna! Good-length ball around off, du Plessis looks to defend but it goes off the outside edge to first slip. It falls short. 5 runs from the first over.