Hyderabad: Dwayne Bravo hammered 67 off 39 balls to take Chennai Super Kings to 182 for seven against Kings XI Punjab in the second semifinal of the Champions League T20 here today.
Bravo got good support from Faf du Plessis (46 off 33) while Ravindra Jadeja (27 off 13) provided the late burst, propelling Chennai to an imposing total in the crunch match. Parvinder Awana (4/30) and Akshar Patel (2/30) were the pick of the bowlers for Punjab.
Punjab had things under control for the first six overs after skipper George Bailey decided to put the opposition in.
Fast bowlers Anureet Singh and Parvinder Awana impressed with the new ball against a dangerous Chennai batting unit.
A quick incoming delivery rattled the stumps of Dwayne Smith (14) while his opening partner Brendon McCullum (6) played to rash shot to be caught at mid-wicket off Thisara Perera.
Suresh Raina (6) started his innings with a delightful drive through the cover before he pulled a sharp catch to Bailey at mid-on, leaving Punjab at 41 for three in six overs.
Chennai's batting runs deep and Raina's dismissal brought Bravo and and Du Plessis together at the crease.
The two explosive men hung around for sometime before setting up the foundation for a big score. Their 65-run stand off 46 balls comprised big hits and some cheeky play especially from du Plessis, who used the scoop shot to good effect.
Bravo was brutal against pace and spin alike. He got to his fifty by smashing Anureet over extra cover, taking Chennai past 130 with five overs to spare. He had luck on his side too as Punjab dropped him twice.
The West Indian continued to find the fence at will before wickets of Pawan Negi (8) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (0) off successive balls put Chennai in a spot of bother.
Bravo finally departed in the 19th over after playing a whirlwind knock.
Thanks to the batting it possesses, Chennai eventually managed to post a challenging total. Ravindra Jadeja's 27-run cameo of 13 balls proved handy towards the end.
