By IANS
Chennai : Pacer Tamil Kumaran captured five wickets while J. Hariesh and Hemang Badani slammed half-centuries to help Chennai Superstars beat Delhi Jets by one wicket with four balls remaining in the final of the Indian Cricket League (IPL) 50s tournament here Sunday.
Kumaran returned figures of 9.3-0-39-5 to help skittle out Delhi Jets for 240 in 48.3 overs at Mayajaal Sports Village. Chasing, Chennai Superstars made 242 for nine wickets in 49.2 overs, with Hariesh scoring 59 off 76 balls (4x4s) and Badani making 58 (77 balls, 3x6s).
This is Chennai Superstars’ second straight title win as they had won the ICL 20-20 Championships in Panchkula, near Chandigarh, recently.
Delhi Jets skipper Jai Prakash Yadav was declared Player of the Tournament for his all-round performance in the 50-over-format competition. He tallied 387 runs, bagged eight wickets and held five catches in the second tournament organised by the Subhah Chandra-promoted ICL.
Chennai Superstars skipper R. Satish won the toss and opted to bowl. Mohnish Mishra was the top scorer of the innings with 64 (68 balls, 5x4s, 1×6). He was associated with two good partnerships. With Abhinav Bali (37, 30 balls) he put on 54 for the second wicket and then with Abbas Ali (45, 62 balls, 3x4s, 1×6) he scored 57 for the third wicket to provide meat to the innings.
Yadav also scored a fine 42 off 54 balls, hitting one four and two sixes.
Besides Tamil Kumaran’s fine bowling feat, Thiru Kumaran took two for 25.
Chennai Superstars had a disastrous start as they lost three wickets for a mere 33 by the eighth over. But Badani and V. Devendran (43, 56 balls, 3x4s, 2x6s) scored 52 for the fourth wicket to bring the innings back on the rails. Badani was associated in another good stand with Hariesh as they scored 81 off 105 balls to lend keep the side in the hunt.
But another mini collapse, in which three wickets fell quickly, posed some problems for the Superstars who were reduced to 208 for nine in 46th over.
As Delhi Jets inched closer to winning the match, Superstars all-rounder Thiru Kumaran denied them the feat by slamming 38 off just 25 balls (3x4s, 2x6s) to ensure that Superstars won the contest and the title with four balls to spare.
Brief scores:
Delhi Jets: 240 all out in 48.3 overs (Monish Mishra 64, J.P. Yadav 45, Abbas Ali 45, Tamil Kumaran 5/38, Thiru Kumaran 2/25)
Chennai Superstars: 242 for 9 wickets in 49.2 overs (J. Hariesh 59, Hemang Badani 58, V. Devendran 43, Shalabh Srivastava 3/38)
Result: Chennai Superstars won by one wicket
Man of the Match: Tamil Kumaran (Chennai Superstars)
Man of the Tournament: Jai Prakash Yadav (Delhi Jets)