CSK vs KKR : Brevis and Dhoni Lead CSK to Thrilling Win Over KKR in Final-Over Finish
Chennai Super Kings: 183/8 (Brevis 52, Dube 45, Urvil 31, Arora 3/48, Varun 2/18)
Kolkata Knight Riders: 179/6 (Rahane 48, Russell 38, Pandey 36, Noor 4/31)*
CSK won by 2 wickets
Chennai Super Kings pulled off a nail-biting two-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a high-pressure IPL 2025 match, dealing a big blow to KKR’s playoff dreams. The win was made possible by three players who were brought into CSK’s team as injury replacements. Two of them—Dewald Brevis and Urvil Patel—made standout contributions.
Urvil Patel Starts Strong
Urvil Patel, playing his first IPL match, got CSK off to a fiery start by hitting a six off his very first ball. He went on to score a quick 31 from just 11 balls, helping CSK gain early momentum while chasing 180. But that energy faded fast as CSK lost five wickets inside the powerplay, finishing the first six overs at 62 for 5.
Brevis Turns the Game Around
Things looked tough until Dewald Brevis changed everything in the 11th over. He smashed Vaibhav Arora for 30 runs in just six balls—hitting 6, 4, 4, 6, 6, and 4—to reach his first IPL half-century in just 22 deliveries. That one over shifted the match completely in CSK’s favor.
Before the over, KKR had a 78% chance of winning. After it, CSK were the new favorites.
Dhoni and Dube Keep Calm
Brevis fell in the 13th over, giving KKR a small opening. But with 53 runs still needed from 47 balls, Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni came together and played calmly. Dube played some powerful shots, including three sixes, while Dhoni guided the chase.
Dube was out in the 19th over, leaving CSK with eight runs to get from the last six balls. Dhoni hit the first ball of the final over for a six, then took a single, leveling the scores. Anshul Kamboj, the No. 10 batter, finished the match with a simple shot over mid-on.
Noor Ahmad Shines with the Ball
Earlier in the match, left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad made a huge impact. After KKR’s strong powerplay start, he picked up four key wickets. He removed Sunil Narine and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi in the eighth over, then came back later to get rid of big-hitters Andre Russell and Rinku Singh.
KKR’s Strong Start Fades
Batting first, KKR came out swinging. Rahmanullah Gurbaz started fast but fell for 11. Then, Narine and Rahane powered their way to 67/1 in the first six overs. They weren’t always in control—Rahane got a lucky break after being dropped—but they scored quickly.
After that, KKR slowed down against spin, and despite late runs from Russell and Pandey, they could only manage 179/6.
CSK Breaks Losing Streak
Before this game, CSK had lost 12 matches in a row while chasing targets above 180. That streak started back in 2020. But thanks to a power-packed show from their younger players, and Dhoni’s calm finish, they finally broke that unlucky run.
KKR still have a slim chance to make the playoffs, but they must win their remaining two matches and hope other results go their way.
