KKR beat defending champs CSK to win maiden IPL title

CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders became the new champions of the Indian Premier League as they defeated defending champions Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in a nerve-wracking final, to win their maiden IPL final, in Chennai on Sunday.


Chasing a stiff target of 191, little known Manvinder Bisla played the most defining innings of his life as smashed the CSK bowlers to all corners to notch up 89 off only 48 balls (8x4, 5x6) ably supported by Jacques Kallis (69, 49 balls, 7x4, 1x6) as most popular franchise of the cash-rich league finally lived upto its reputation.


The moment Manoj Tiwary hit Dwayne Bravo to the square leg boundary for the second successive boundary, the delirious KKR players were all into the ground as their principal owner Shah Rukh was engaged in a frenzied celebrations.


The day however belonged to Bisla wasn't supposed to play this match had Laxmipathy Balaji not suffered hamstring injury. The decision to drop Brendon McCullum was widely debated but the lad from Himachal Pradesh put all the speculation to rest as he emerged as an unlikely hero among the galaxy of stars.


Despite losing Gautam Gambhir early, Bisla played a blinder as he took on the CSK attack by the scruff of their neck. Four boundaries of an Albie Morkel over set the tone and couple of clean sixes of Ravichandran Ashwin meant that the Knights were certainly there in the match.


The best part was that Bisla-Kallis duo saw Ben Hilfenhaus' first spell without taking any risks and then launched into the other bowlers. As Bisla started spanking the CSK bowlers, Mahendra Singh Dhoni suddenly started worrying.