In an unbelievable day of batting, the Kings XI Punjab just had a little too much in them as the Chennai Super Kings fell marginally short in a humdinger of an IPL 2014 Qualifier 2 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina played two of the greatest innings ever seen in the IPL, as CSK finished 24 runs short of Kings XI's score of 226.
Thanks to a blazing innings from Raina, CSK were actually on course for an amazing chase, a chase which would have been the highest ever in T20 cricket, only for a brilliant run out from George Bailey and then some poor batting from the Super Kings to end those hopes.
"I think Raina had given us a chance, but in the middle overs, there was some very irresponsible cricket by very experienced international players," an unhappy CSK skipper MS Dhoni said.
"We also had a poor bowling performance on a flat track. Sehwag batted really well and never really gave us a chance to get back into the game. He helped them get 25 runs more. Overall, I think KXIP batted really well, and we have to give them credit for that.
Dhoni, though, does not think this season has been a failure, especially after reaching the playoffs yet again, and coming to within a win of another final despite losing one of their main players – Dwayne Bravo – at the beginning of the campaign.
"After losing Bravo after one game, to get to the playoffs is still a great achievement."
While Dhoni uncharacteristically lost his cool after the tough defeat, at the other end there was Bailey, who was over the moon after guiding his side to the IPL 2014 final, after throwing away their chances at the first time of asking against the Kolkata Knight Riders, the team they face in the big clash on Sunday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
"What an innings from Viru, he set the platform, and was also backed up by Miller at the end," Bailey said. Viru's knock was almost overshadowed by Suresh's innings.
"We have seen two extraordinary innings tonight. The belief in the group after the first Powerplay was terrific, our spinners have done the job again."
Watch the Kings XI Punjab vs CSK match Highlights HERE, HERE or HERE.
