KKR vs CSK HIghlights, IPL 2025: MS Dhoni wins it for Chennai Super Kings

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, the game is finely balanced with both sides backing themselves at this stage. On a surface that has offered grip and turn, KKR will rely on their quality spin attack, with 12 overs of spin available unless they opt for a fourth option. For CSK, the key will be to capitalise on the Powerplay, the phase where batting looked most comfortable when KKR were batting.

Manish Pandey is in for a chat. He says that maybe he could have got 10 runs more from his side, but reckons that Russell and Rinku did well to get the boundaries, and they do have the bowlers to defend it. Adds that his idea was to just stay there till the end. Mentions that the pacers are doing well and the spinners are doing the job in the middle phase as well, and hopefully, it will be a good game.

After choosing to bat first, the Knight Riders lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz early, but brisk knocks from Sunil Narine and Ajinkya Rahane helped them post 67 runs in the Powerplay. However, the middle overs saw CSK’s spin trio take control, exploiting the conditions well to stem the flow of runs and build pressure. Rahane, dropped on 15, couldn’t capitalise on the chance and fell soon after. Andre Russell provided a much-needed injection of impetus, especially with Manish Pandey struggling for fluency. Pandey managed to find a few boundaries late in the innings, helping KKR reach a competitive 179.

Excellent final over from CSK to close out an innings that ebbed and flowed throughout. The Powerplay belonged to KKR before CSK clawed their way back during the middle overs through spin. KKR then upped the ante with 64 runs in the five overs leading up to the final over, but with just 6 coming off the last, CSK managed to limit them under 180.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, What an over! Just six singles off it and KKR fail to reach the 180-run mark! Full and straight now, quicker too, Manish Pandey hangs back and makes room to power it away but can't get under it. The ball goes straight to mid off and it will be just a single. KKR finish with 179/6 on the board!

Matheesha Pathirana to Ramandeep Singh, A loopy full toss now, on middle and leg, around the hips but dips as well. Ramandeep can only flic it down to fine leg for a single.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Full toss on the pads, a bit slower and deceiving the batter. Pandey helps it down to fine leg for one more. Matheesha Pathirana finishing off strongly here for CSK.

Matheesha Pathirana to Ramandeep Singh, Can we call that a dropped catch? Very, very difficult to snaffle that one. An inswinging yorker on leg stump, at almost 148 clicks, Ramandeep Singh gets inside the line and flicks it off the leading edge and wide of the keeper. MS Dhoni springs to his left ad tts a bit of glove on it as the ball goes to fine leg for just one more.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Another full and straight one, tailing into the leg pole, Pandey makes room but fails to get under it and drills it straight to mid off for only a run.

Matheesha Pathirana to Ramandeep Singh, Slingy delivery, bowled full and outside off, just tailing in, Ramandeep Singh goes way deep in his crease and hammers it along the turf to long on for a single.

Noor Ahmad to Manish Pandey, Fuller in length, sliding on from middle and leg, Pandey plays it back to the bowler.

Noor Ahmad to Manish Pandey, FOUR! Right in the gap! A bit too short from Noor, bowling it slightly outside off as well. Manish Pandey has enough room to free the arms and pull it in between long on and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Noor Ahmad to Manish Pandey, Wide! Quick and full, spilled well down the leg side for a wide.

Noor Ahmad to Ramandeep Singh, Dragged length on middle, turning away, Ramandeep Singh waits and taps it to point for a single.

Ramandeep Singh is in next.

Taken on the second attempt by Ayush Mhatre! Has he managed to keep his foot away from the fence? Yes, the replays confirm that he has successfully done so.

Noor Ahmad to Rinku Singh, OUT! CAUGHT! Excellent judgment in the deep from the youngster! A long hop from Noor Ahmad, on middle and leg, there to be put away. Rinku Singh hangs back and then pulls it flat towards deep backward square leg. Ayush Mhatre over there takes the catch to his right but it nearly pops out before Ayush manages to regain his composure and snatch it on the second attempt, all whilst keeping his balance to stay inside the ropes as well.

Noor Ahmad to Rinku Singh, Close but not close enough! On a dragged length, turning across the left-hander as well. Rinku Singh with another attempt at the reverse sweep but he misses. The ball goes off the pads to the leg side and Manish Pandey is already halfway down the track. Rinku sends him back as the throw comes in at the bowler's end and the bails are whipped off. Pandey makes it back though.

Noor Ahmad to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Top shot! Floated up around off and angling in, Rinku Singh sets up for the reverse sweep early and nails it over short third for a boundary.

Matheesha Pathirana to Rinku Singh, Oh, that's slipped out of the hand, but the batter is taken by surprise as well. Slower one, looking for the yorker, but turns out to be a chest height full toss that dips on the batter. Rinku Singh just dabs it through backward point for a single.

Matheesha Pathirana to Rinku Singh, A wide yorker now, flirting with the tramline and Rinku leaves it alone. No wide called, but Rinku does review it. The third umpire is called in and replays show that some part of the ball is within the guideline and it will be a dot ball.

Matheesha Pathirana to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Streaky! Full toss on off, slanting across, Rinku Singh does open the face of the blade but ends up gliding it more off the outside edge and past the keeper into the third man fence.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Full and wide outside off, there to be hit, Pandey creams the drive straight to extra cover though. Just a single.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, SIX! Dismissive from Pandey! Pre-empts the yorker and clears the front leg, does Pandey and gets it where he wants it, right on the leg stump. Pandey then whacks it high and over cow corner for a biggie.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Banged into the deck, Pandey makes room and hits it flat over the bowler's head for a couple of runs.

Rinku Singh walks out to bat.

Noor Ahmad to Andre Russell, OUT! CAUGHT! Noor Ahmad gets the last laugh and sends Andre Russell packing. A bit of a half tracker this from Noor, sitting up around off. Russell looks to climb into the bounce and hammer it flat over long off but doesn't get the required timing. Dewald Brevis sprints in from the deep and dives forward to take an excellent catch as Russell departs for a fiery knock of 38 off just 21 balls.

Noor Ahmad to Andre Russell, SIX! BANG! Bowled flatter and on off, a bit fuller too, Andre Russell manages to swing across the line and swats it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie. He is on a roll here!

Noor Ahmad to Andre Russell, Top delivery! Good length on off and middle, this one, darts across Russell gets squared up and beaten past the outside edge.

Noor Ahmad to Andre Russell, FOUR! Uh, oh! Devon Conway has been completely undone by the spin there. Full and around off, Russell stays deep and slices it away and over wide long off. The ball pitches and curves away from the incoming fielder who gets bamboozled and concedes a boundary.

Noor Ahmad to Andre Russell, BEATEN! Nagging length, on off, sliding across the right-hander, Russell looks to block but is well beaten.

Noor Ahmad to Manish Pandey, Looped-up delivery, tossed up around leg, Manish Pandey looks to shovel it fine but gets it off the pads and for just a leg bye.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Gets it full enough this time, outside off, Pandey can only dig it out in front of point for a single. A couple of productive overs for KKR after the break!

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Full and straight, not quite in the blockhole, Manish Pandey clears the front leg and drills it straight back past the bowler. The fielder from long on tidies up to his left and keeps it down to two runs.

Matheesha Pathirana to Andre Russell, Goes full and tries to attack the pads but ends up bowling a dipping full toss. Russell is taken aback and can't get it away. The ball hits the pads and rolls down to fine leg for a leg bye.

Matheesha Pathirana to Andre Russell, FOUR! Gets a hold of that one as well! Slower one, bowled a bit short and well outside off. Russell tries to make room but adjusts well to reach and power the ball over covers for a boundary.

Matheesha Pathirana to Andre Russell, SIX! As flat as it can get! Another slower one, a bit into the pitch and over middle, Russell picks it up, waits well and pulls it flat in front of square leg for a biggie.

Matheesha Pathirana to Andre Russell, Well bowled! Sees the batter backing away and Pathirana brings out a slower bumper, over middle and gets it around head height. Russell leaves it in hopes of a wide which is not given.

STRATEGIC BREAK! CSK have done well to pull things back after being put under pressure in the Powerplay. Led largely by their spin trio, the last 9 overs have gone for just 57 runs. KKR will hope to build on the momentum from the previous 15-run over and finish strong on a surface that has offered grip and turn. MS Dhoni still has the option of turning to three overs of spin from the final five, should he choose to use them.

Ravindra Jadeja to Manish Pandey, An arm ball now, around off and darting back in, Pandey hops back and jams it out behind point.

Ravindra Jadeja to Andre Russell, On the fuller side and straighter too, flicked away through mid-wicket for a single.

Ravindra Jadeja to Andre Russell, SIX! Oh, Russell has shifted gears and how! Length ball at the stumps, Russell sets up deep in the crease and wallops it away high and handsome over long on for a biggie. That was nowhere close to the middle of the bat.

Ravindra Jadeja to Andre Russell, FOUR! A valiant effort in the deep from Noor Ahmad but it will be a boundary. This is bowled a bit short and angled into the batter, Russell hangs back and manages to swing it away through the leg side. Noor runs around to his right from deep mid-wicket and dives in but the replays show that his hand was in contact with the ropes when he pulled the ball back in.

Ravindra Jadeja to Andre Russell, FOUR! Edged away! Another flat delivery, around off and middle, Andre Russell swings hard across the line but gets an outside edge over the slip fielder and the ball rolls away into the deep third fence.

Ravindra Jadeja to Andre Russell, Quicker one, darted in towards the off stump line, Russell blocks it off.

Matheesha Pathirana to Andre Russell, Another yorker on middle leg, Andre Russell clears his front leg and drills this one down the ground to long on for a single.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Slower yorker on middle, Manish Pandey pushes it past the bowler to mid on region, for a single.

Matheesha Pathirana to Andre Russell, Another yorker on leg, Andre Russell somehow manages to bring his bat down in time. The ball goes into the leg side and batters run a single.

Matheesha Pathirana to Manish Pandey, Pinpoint yorker on leg, Manish Pandey manages to dig it out as he flicks it deep mid-wicket for a single.