Most Nail-Biting Matches of Chennai Super Kings in IPL

To put these beliefs on the same note, let’s look back in the history of cricket to figure out any team of the same fan base – with yellow Jersey it was the only side and that’s the side of Ricky Ponting team.

These two teams look very similar to each other. Either swashbuckling openers to the finest middle-order batsman to legendary captains and to the most consistent bowling units – these two teams have everything to stand out in any tournament.

Talking about CSK, why they are so consistent? Their team management know whom to select in the auction bid over other franchises with lack of inexperience and picking up random players with no criteria. Keeping the players like Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni with CSK in 10 long years – it means their franchise knows the value of these two pearls.

In the last 12 seasons, We have witnessed some of the most enthralling encounters of CSK that just shell shocked the audience. Chennai Super Kings have provide some high quality cricket for the fans across the years. 

Take a look at some of most nail-biting matches of CSK in the long IPL history:

1. Chennai Super Kings Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2012, Chennai:

Scoreboard – Royal Challengers Bangalore 205-8 (20 Overs)

Chennai Super Kings 208-5 (20 overs)

If there are counterparts of South Africa and Australia in IPL then it would definitely be Royal challengers Bangalore and Chennai super kings or If there is a counterparts of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal then again it would definitely be Chennai super kings and Royals challengers Bangalore.

Moving into the epic encounter 400 plus runs were scored in 40 overs game. The 13th match of the season and RCB after winning the toss completely took on the charge as they scored 205 with some unbelievable knocks from Mayank Agarwal (45), Chris Gayle (67) and Virat Kohli (57) in the 20 overs.

Coming into the chase the home team was struggling at one point when they were 88/2 in 10.3 overs. It looked like they fell short of this target by the big margin of runs but the climax of the match was about to come. The finisher MS Dhoni 41 (24) and Faf Du Plessis 71 (46) played the anchored role and shifted the momentum towards CSK. But the drama comes in the last two overs.

Dhoni departs at the last ball of 18th over. With this hopes were almost over as Albie Morkel came in when 43 runs required of 2 overs. Daniel Vettori went to the Virat Kohli it looked they were having some discussion but Virat Kohli clears it to the umpire I am going to bowl this 19th over – it was all surprise for the fans. Albie Morkel was waiting for this moment and he took on aerial route while smashed 28 runs with 3 sixes and 2 fours.

The game was on and drama continues till the last ball when CSK required 2 runs of 1 ball. Jadeja on the strike it was touch and go but Jadeja smashed the boundary and stunned the audience as the CSK fans went mad after this nail bitting match.

2.  Kolkata knight Riders Vs Chennai Super Kings, 2012, Chennai – Finals:

Scoreboard – Chennai Super Kings 190-3 (20 Overs)

Kolkata Knight Riders 192-5 (20 Overs)

Another Match of the best season in the IPL history. This time it was the final of the IPL and Chennai super kings fans was confident to lift the trophy for the third times. Chennai Super Kings after winning the toss decided to bat first and that's what their openers looking for as Murali Vijay (42) and Micheal Hussey (54) put on 87 runs partnership for the first wicket.

But the innings that stunned the chepauk audience was from the Mr Consistent in IPL Suresh Raina 73 runs off 38 balls which includes 5 sixes and 3 fours to help CSK to post 190-3 in the 20 overs.

Chasing the target of 191 in the finals was not going to be easy for underdogs KKR side of 2012 but the history was about to made that night. KKR has started the chase and they have lost the Skipper Gautam Gambhir in the very first over. With it hopes of KKR were almost over.

But the star of that night Manvinder Bisla 89 runs off 48 balls spoil the party of CSK with match winning partnership of 136 runs for the second wicket with Jacques Kallis. And with boundary from Manoj Tiwary on the 4th ball of 20 over has turned the fortune for KKR to lift the trophy for the first time and crushed the hopes of CSK to lift the trophy for one more time.

3. Chennai Super Kings Vs Mumbai Indians, 2012, Mumbai:

Scoreboard – Chennai Super Kings 173-8 (20 Overs)

Mumbai Indians 174-8 (20 Overs)

Another nail-biting match from the 2012 edition of IPL. After winning the toss Mumbai Indians forced the Chennai super kings to bat first and they put on 173 runs on the board in their 20 overs with some handy knocks from their players Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni but they couldn't the cross the barrier of 180 runs as the Malinga picks up two wickets in the final over of their innings.

Coming into the chase the home team lost their first wicket very early but Sachin Tendulkar (74) and Rohit Sharma (60) played the anchored role and put the team back into the hunt but twist was about to come when Mumbai Indians lost five wickets in a span of three overs.

With this equation came down to 16 runs required of the last 6 balls. But Dwayne smith stunned the CSK fans with the first three balls over the ropes and crushed the hopes of CSK to win the nail-biting match.

4.  Chennai Super Kings Vs Rajasthan Royals, 2010, Chennai:

Scoreboard – Chennai Super Kings 246-5 (20 Overs)

Rajasthan Royals 223-5 (20 Overs)

Another epic Match in the IPL history. Chennai Super kings after winning the toss decided to bat first and they have destroyed the line and length of Rajasthan bowlers and went onto post 246 runs on the board in the 20 overs.

With absolute carnage from the opener Murali Vijay 127 runs off 56 balls and the quick fire half-century from the flamboyant left-handed batsman Albie Morkel 62 runs off 34 balls.

With the total of 247 no one has expected anything from the Rajasthan royals and with 80/2 in 8 overs with that unbelievable catch from Doug Bollinger at the boundary ropes have ended the every hopes of the team. But next 7 overs Shane Watson (60) and Naman Ojha 94* have added on 97 runs with some serious hitting which have sacred the CSK for once.

With the spectacular catch first Doug Bollinger cleaned up the stumps of dangerous looking shane Watson at the score of 177 runs. With this wicket they never came back into the match and lost the match by 23 runs. Although they have lost the match but for a while it looked like they can chase down this mammoth target of 247 with their determination.

5.  Chennai Super kings Vs Kings XI Punjab, 2008, Mohali:

Scoreboard – Chennai Super Kings 240–5 (20 Overs)

Kings XI Punjab 207-4 (20 Overs)

The first season of IPL and just the second match of the season. First time when teams have breached the 400 run mark in a single match. The two great sides go against each other in Mohali. After winning the toss Chennai decided to bat first with the hopes of getting it difficult to chase the target. With the all time best top order Chennai super kings played anchored roles in setting up the massive total on the board.

With the unbeaten century of Micheal Hussey 116 runs off 54 balls which includes 8 fours and 9 sixes. Towards the end there were quick fireworks from Suresh Raina 32 runs off 13 balls and Badrinath 31 runs off 14 balls to went onto post the score of 240/5 in the 20 overs.

Coming into the chase of 241 runs in 20 overs under the lights it was daunting task but openers of KXIP James Hopes (71) and Kumar Sangakkara 54 gave the tough fight to turned the tables but required run rate was out of the reach and Kings XI Punjab fell short of 33 runs with some hard hitting talents like Yuvraj Singh and Simon Katich in their team but still they couldn't make it to over the line in the 20 overs and lost the match.

It was the match after which fans have started believing this yellow army is different from the others teams with some expectational players in their team like Hayden, Raina, Hussey,Jacob Oram and Dhoni.

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