IPL 2025: CSK triumph as KKR’s playoffs hopes nosedive

Three players who came into Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) squad as injury replacements during IPL 2025 were part of their XI in their 12th match of the season, and two of the three made decisive contributions to all but end Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) playoffs hopes.

Making his IPL debut, Urvil Patel got off the mark with a six, flicked effortlessly off Vaibhav Arora, and hit three more over the course of an 11-ball 31 that gave CSK vital early momentum in a chase of 180.

That momentum didn’t seem to count for much, though, as CSK lost five wickets inside the powerplay. Then, after they had recovered somewhat, to 93 for 5 after ten overs, Dewald Brevis transformed the contest in the space of six balls, hitting Arora for 6, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4 in a 30-run 11th over to rush to his maiden IPL half-century off just 22 balls.

Before that over, ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster had pegged KKR as 78.02% favourites. After that over, CSK were 78.05% favourites.

The contest was in the balance once again when Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Brevis at the start of the 13th over, leaving CSK six down, but the situation – another 53 runs needed off 47 balls – was just right for the pair that now came together. It allowed MS Dhoni to take his time, and Shivam Dube to wait for his moments to show off his six-hitting range.

Dube fell in the penultimate over, but not before he had brought CSK close enough for Dhoni to win it in almost-but-not-quite-vintage style: he hit the first ball of the last over for six, but left the winning hit to No. 10 Anshul Kamboj. (ESPNcricinfo)