Why did CSK lose the IPL 2019 Final vs MI: The Sportsrush tries to decode the reasons why CSK lost the IPL 2019 Final vs MI.
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‘A game of millimeters’ or a ‘A game of glorious uncertainties’. Call it whatever you wish and you won’t be wrong, for sure! The MI beat the defending champions, CSK by just 1 run, in the all-important final of the 12th season of the Indian Premier League at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, in Hyderabad.
It was the old war-horse, Lasith Malinga for the MI, who defended 2 runs off the last delivery after bowling a beautiful slower delivery to Shardul Thakur.
The ball trapped Thakur right in front of his leg stump, as he was clearly not anticipating the slower one from Malinga. And the rest is history for MI and curtains for the CSK as far as this season of the IPL was concerned.
Thus, after being emotionally drained the last night courtesy one of the most dramatic IPL final one would ever witness, we at TSR are back again with our bid to decode the reasons why CSK, although by a whisker lost the finals of IPL 2019, and their 4th lost against them this season alone.
3 Reasons why CSK lost the IPL 2019 Final vs MI
The 2 Run-Outs in CSK’s innings
It all began in the over number 12. CSK, chasing a modest total of 149 were off to a decent start with a 33-run opening stand. Soon, they lost 3 quick wickets and the score stood at 73/3, when the CSK skipper MS Dhoni arrived at the crease.
With Watson at the other end looking good, and Dhoni having just arrived at the crease, here is when the tables turned. In the 4th delivery of the 13th over, MS Dhoni tried to steal a run from an overthrow from Lasith Malinga from the fine-leg region. But a vigilant Ishan Kishan at mid-off hit the bulls eye at the non-striker’s end.
The decision was a tough one, and I certainly wouldn’t have liked to be the third umpire at that stage. While one angle showed Dhoni was on the line, the other suggested that the had just made his ground.
But eventually, the big screen declared the three-lettered red words providing CSK a massive blow. Chasing 149, it was a tailor-made kind of a chase for the veteran.
But this was not all. Although Dhoni was back in the pavilion, Watson at the other end was going strong. Having belted Krunal Pandya for 20 in the 18th over, he was all set to do it again for CSK in yet another IPL final.
But with only 9 runs required off 6 balls, and 5 runs off 3, a Watson run out was the last thing that the CSK needed. Having hit the ball at the Deep Point region, perhaps a tiring Watson (the actual reason is still unclear) couldn’t scamper back for the second, and was way short of his crease.
Thus, the run-outs of two key CSK batsmen, was perhaps the biggest reason CSK lost the IPL Final vs MI.
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Suresh Raina’s dropped catch
Considered as one the safest fielders in the world, CSK’s Suresh Raina dropped an absolute sitter of a catch during the 1st innings. It all happened in the 2nd ball of the 18th over, when a short ball from Shardul Thakur was mistimed by Hardik Pandya. The ball went right up in the air only to be dropped by Raina at the covers.
Pandya, who has been the best batsmen for the Indians this season went on to add another 11 runs to the scoreboard and the MI total.
This might not have not hurt Raina and CSK too much, but at hindsight, considering the fact that CSK lost by 1 run,it eventually turned out to be too costly a miss- the one that cost them their second consecutive IPL title.
Not Capitalizing onto MI’s fielding lapses
Even if the CSK batting did not click the entire season, they are a good enough team to chase a paltry total of 149. But even if that was not enough, the MI fielders gave the CSK batters more than enough chances to win the IPL title for the record 4th time.
With as many as 4 dropped catches, including 2 of those off Shane Watson, a team of CSK’s calibre has the ability to make its oppositions not only pay, but pay big time for such lapses.
If this was not all, there were 5 extra runs off an overthrow in the initial part of CSK’s innings along with missed run-out chances. It is thus surprising how, even after committing so many errors MI turned out to be victorious in the end.
Nevertheless, that is what moments of pressure can do, even to the best of the best. It brings out the uncharacteristic sides of individuals and teams, giving us those moments of glorious uncertainties that this game of Cricket is known for.
