Poor run rate could hurt Chennai

CHENNAI: Despite a surprise defeat, the Super Kings are not overly worried about their future in the IPL. The players and the management put up a brave front stating that it was just one-off defeat.

One more loss and their passage to last eight stage will be in jeopardy. But the players and the team management say they will overcome the shock defeat. The Super Kings have two more games. They take on table toppers Rajasthan Royals on Saturday,  followed by a clash against wooden spoon contenders Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad on May 27.

“We took the eye off the ball at one stage. It was one of those bad days. The defeat could have been easily avoided. Before we realised the match was over,” said Suresh Raina, who was needed to score 16 off the last over. “I was confident of hitting those runs but Praveen (Kumar) bowled two superb deliveries. I could not clear the infield,” he confessed.

Raina defended his decision to decline singles. “The responsibility was on me. I could not have exposed Makhaya Ntini  the bowling.”  The UP all-rounder is confident their team will win the next two games.

The Super Kings are in third place with 14 points from 12 game. One win in last two games should see them through to the semifinals but that will depend on results of other teams - particularly of Mumbai and Delhi  games. A three-way contest is likely for two berths if Delhi and Mumbai win their remaining games and Chennai win only one.
In such a scenario, the defeat against Bangalore will hurt the Super Kings. The defeat has worsened their Net Run Rate. They have NRR of -0.209 as against +0.663 and +0.350 of Mumbai and Delhi respectively.