That is it then from this game and the 999th game was truly a great one. Now, the focus shifts to the 1000th scheduled game of the Indian T20 League as Mumbai are going up against Rajasthan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. You can simply switch tabs and catch our coverage, Cheers!
Devon Conway is picked for the Player of the Match award despite finishing on the losing side! The Chennai opener says that the pitch was a bit on the slower side and a score of 200 was really competitive. He is really disappointed to lose this match. Tells that he is trying to keep things simple with his batting and not complicate things. Shares that he works closely with Michael Hussey along with other experienced players in the camp.
Earlier in the game, MS Dhoni won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. This decision was well received as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway looked in fine form out in the middle. They added 86 runs for the first wicket and set the tone. Shivam Dube then came out swinging and got away a few big hits but it was Conway who played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 92 runs off 52 balls that gave Chennai the momentum. MS Dhoni dispatched the last couple of deliveries over the ropes and got Chennai to the 200-run mark. For Punjab, a couple of bowlers bowled well. Kagiso Rabada was one of them but he got hit for boundaries at the wrong time and the spinner Rahul Chahar did a decent job of curtailing the runs. Coming to the chase, it was topsy-turvy from start to finish but Punjab managed to make the blistering start with the bat count and crossed the line on the final delivery.
Chennai and their fans will be distraught with the result as it is certainly a tough pill to swallow. They had the runs on the board but didn't start well with the ball as their opening bowlers - Tushar Deshpande and Akash Singh remained ineffective. It was Ravindra Jadeja who changed the game in the middle overs by picking up wickets at regular intervals. Tushar Deshpande came back in the latter phases and did pick up wickets but went for runs as well. Matheesha Pathirana bowled a fine spell at the death but just came up short of defending 8 runs in the final over.
What a game, and what a win for Punjab as they bolster their hopes of a playoff spot. Needing 201 to win, they started off in fine fashion with Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh going after the pacers in the Powerplay. The pair added on 50 runs in double-quick time before Dhawan got out. Punjab then lost a couple of wickets in quick succession before Liam Livingstone teed off. Livingstone though got out going after the pacers which left Sam Curran and Jitesh Sharma with quite some work to do. The pair tried their best and took the game deep before Sikandar Raza somehow managed to get the win off the final delivery, that too without hitting a boundary in the final over.
Have you ever seen anything like it? Punjab pick up three runs off the final delivery and get a memorable win, going on to set the record for the highest run-chase at this stadium and they also go level on points with Chennai.
In over# 20
3
2
2
0
1lb
1
Matheesha Pathirana 32/1(4)
19.6
3
What a finish! The home crowd has been silenced as the Punjab team celebrates valiantly. Short of a length and over middle, Sikandar Raza gets inside the line of the ball and pulls it over backward square leg. Maheesh Theekshana from inside the ring runs after it and just about manages to pull it back in. The batters push hard and get back for the third run to seal the win. PUNJAB WIN BY 4 WICKETS!
Play halted! What's going on out there? The batters are having a chat with the umpire. They are asking for a runner for the last ball supposedly. Nothing doing and we continue.
19.5
2
Two more! Slingy delivery, pushed outside off, Sikandar Raza shuffles across and pulls it away toward deep square leg. The batters scamper back for two. 3 needed now off 1 ball and the crowd is going wild.
19.4
2
Full and straight, heaved away in front of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. 5 needed now off 2 balls and Punjab are one hit away.
19.3
.
A golden dot ball! Slower ball, on a length and outside off, Sikandar Raza throws the kitchen sink at it but fails to connect. MS Dhoni does well to get behind the ball as it bounces a second time.
19.2
1lb
Leg bye! Top delivery! Full and quick, gets it in at the toes. Shahrukh Khan fails to dig it out. The ball thuds into the padas and rolls toward backward point. They get a leg bye.
19.1
1
Full and wide outside off, Sikandar Raza reaches out and drives it to deep cover for a single.
In over# 19
1
1wd
4
0W
0
1wd
2
4
Tushar Deshpande 49/3(4)
18.6
1
A single to end and now, Punjab need 9 runs off the final over. Slower and shorter over middle, pulled away to deep mid-wicket by Sikandar Raza for a single.
18.6
1wd
WIDE! Just a bit too wide. Full and quick, just beyond the tramline outside off, wide called. 10 needed now off 7 balls.
18.5
4
FOUR! Poor delivery! A juicy full toss outside off, Sikandar Raza throws his hands at it but the ball goes off the cue end of the bat and runs away quickly into the third man fence.