BANGALORE, India, CMC – There were no headlines for the West Indies duo of Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo but their Chennai Super Kings still lifted the Champions League Twenty20 title with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders here yesterday.
Set a challenging 181 for victory, Chennai were carried by a splendid unbeaten hundred from top order batsman Suresh Raina who stroked 109 off a mere 62 balls, to earning the Man-of-the-Series honour.
The left-hander produced a breath-taking exhibition of hitting, counting six fours an eight sixes as he powered his side home with nine deliveries remaining at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Smith, who has struggled in the series, looked in great touch early on when he hammered pacer Pat Cummins for two off-side boundaries in the opening over.
However, the right-hander did not survive the over, yorked for eight by a slower ball, off the fifth delivery.
Smith’s dismissal would be KKR’s last sign of success for a while. Clearly missing their match-winning off-spinner Sunil Narine who was Thursday banned from bowling and left out of the final, KKR failed to make any inroads and Chennai capitalised.
Raina added 118 for the second wicket with opener Brendon McCullum who hit 39 from 30 balls before putting on a further 58 with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni whose unbeaten 23 came from 14 balls.
Earlier, Bravo sent down two expensive overs that cost 24 runs as KKR, sent in, rallied to 180 for six off their 20 overs.
Opener and captain Guatam Gambhir top-scored with 80 from 52 balls, posting 91 for the first wicket with Robin Uthappa who scored 39 from 32 deliveries.
Twenty one year-old eft-arm spinner Pawan Negi was the star, taking five for 22 to earn the Man-of-the-Match honour.
West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree is also a member of the Chennai Super Kings squad but was not selected for the final.
