Chennai Super Kings survived elimination three times with results going their way on all occasions as they kept their 100 percent record of qualifying for the playoffs intact
There is an old adage in baseball which is ‘Three strikes and you are out’. Try telling it to the Chennai Super Kings franchise under MS Dhoni. The two-time defending champions came into IPL 2012 looking to achieve a hat-trick of IPL titles. In 2011, they had made Chepauk their home fortress, winning all eight games there. In 2012, they were plagued by inconsistency. As the tournament reached the second half, there was a real danger that Chennai Super Kings might not be able to reach the play-offs.
Chennai Super Kings were already in dire straights after losing to Mumbai Indians by two wickets at the Wankhede stadium. Their game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy stadium was washed out due to rain and in the previous encounter between the two sides in Chepauk, it needed a spectacular effort from Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja to chase down a target of 200+.
After the loss to Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings regrouped with a win against Rajasthan Royals and table-toppers Delhi Daredevils. Mumbai Indians upset the applecart by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore. At the same time, Chennai Super Kings played Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens and Dhoni’s side looked doomed. Michael Hussey’s fifty was almost in vain but Dwayne Bravo blasted a six off the last ball bowled by Rajat Bhatia as Chennai Super Kings stayed alive.
The setting
Chennai Super Kings got a lifeline when Delhi Daredevils defeated Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Mumbai Indians. However, that lifeline was soon extinguished when Chennai Super Kings lost heavily to Kings XI Punjab in Dharamsala. With Royal Challengers Bangalore beating Delhi Daredevils, it looked like Chennai Super Kings would bow out in the league stages itself.
However, Deccan Chargers proved to be the ultimate savior for Chennai Super Kings. The team, who were languishing at the bottom, suddenly burst to light with some fine performances. Rajasthan Royals, who had a chance to knock out Chennai Super Kings with two games in hand and with 14 points, lost to Deccan Chargers by five wickets to be eliminated from contention.
Kings XI Punjab, with 16 points and a game to spare, had a chance to go over Chennai Super Kings who were finished with 17. However, Kings XI Punjab botched it up and lost to Delhi Daredevils by five wickets.
Chennai Super Kings survive third strike
That left the door open for Royal Challengers Bangalore to knock out their Kaveri neighbors. They were on the same points with Chennai Super Kings but had a low net run-rate. Their equation was simple. Beat Deccan Chargers and knock out Chennai Super Kings. The first part of the script went right. Deccan Chargers were restricted to 132/7 despite JP Duminy’s brilliant knock of 74. Chris Gayle, with over 700 runs in the tournament, smashed Manpreet Gony for 24 runs. It looked like Royal Challengers Bangalore were on course.
Then, Dale Steyn struck. He picked up figures of 4-0-8-3, including the wicket of Gayle. Amit Mishra and Ashish Reddy then chipped away in the middle overs and Royal Challengers Bangalore lost momentum. When Reddy dismissed Kohli for 42, the game was up and Deccan Chargers won by nine runs to knock Royal Challengers Bangalore out in the most cruel way. Chennai Super Kings had survived elimination three times.
Even in the second qualifier, they benefited from Delhi Daredevils’ selection composition issues and won against the table toppers. However, they came undone against a disciplined Kolkata Knight Riders side as Manvinder Bisla’s 89 prevented Chennai Super Kings from a hat-trick.
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 "Chennai Super Kings IPL 2012")
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