Bravo’s CSK top Narine and KKR to take fourth title

DUBAI (CMC):

For the second time in a month to the date, veteran West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo lifted a franchise Twenty20 title when Chennai Super Kings (CSK) overcame Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the fourth time on Friday.

Bravo won the Caribbean Premier League title as captain of first-time champions St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on September 15, and though he did not lead CSK, he played a minor role in their 27-run win over KKR that included compatriot Sunil Narine, to take the title.

Narine took 2-26 from four overs, but CSK posted 192 for three from their 20 overs on the back of 86 from former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis and solid batting from the rest of the new champions’ top order.

Shubman Gill then led the way with 51 and fellow opener Venkatesh Iyer made 50, and they gave KKR hope that they could chase down their target, but their middle-order batting caved in under disciplined bowling from CSK and they fell short.

Comfortably placed at 88 without loss at the halfway stage, KKR slumped to 125 for eight in the 17th over to kiss their chances of a third title goodbye with Bravo taking the final wicket to fall with the penultimate ball of the match and ended with 1-29 from four overs.

Earlier, Shakib and Shivam kept things tight in the first two overs and were almost rewarded with the wicket of du Plessis in the third over, but keeper Karthik could not collect the ball cleanly, and the former South Africa skipper got a life.

Du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad completed another half-century opening stand on the final ball of the power play. But Narine gave KKR the breakthrough in the ninth over when Gaikwad was caught at long-off for 32.

Du Plessis and Robin Uthappa went after Shakib in the 10th over, hitting a six each, as CSK reached 80 for one at the halfway stage, and the two continued merrily to complete another half-century stand in only 25 balls.

Du Plessis, who was playing his 100th IPL game, brought up his 22nd IPL half-century before Narine trapped Uthappa leg before wicket for 31 in the 14th over.

England international Moeen Ali joined du Plessis and the pair saw things through to the end with the third successive half-century stand of the innings.

But du Plessis was caught at long-on off Shivam on the final ball of the innings and Moeen finished wih 37 not out off 20 balls, as the CSK pair added 61 in the last five overs.