When Manvinder Bisla’s assault with the willow steered KKR to their first IPL win against CSK

When Manvinder Bisla’s assault with the willow steered KKR to their first IPL win against CSK

Manvinder Bisla

It will be after nine years that Kolkata Knight Riders will go one-on-one against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The last time when the two teams were up against each other in the IPL final, the Knight Riders had scripted a victory by five wickets to lift their first-ever IPL trophy.

The showdown during the 2012 edition saw KKR scripting history under Gautam Gambhir. It was the opening batter Manvinder Bisla who had defied all the odds that night to play the greatest knock of his IPL career. Bisla had undoubtedly emerged as a surprise package for both the Chennai  Super Kings and the fans.

The match between the two IPL giants had kickstarted with MS Dhoni winning the toss and opting to defend the score. The Super Kings had a good outing with the willow as they smashed 190 runs in their 20 overs. The swashbuckling batter Suresh Raina had played the headline innings for the three-time champion.

Manvinder Bisla ended up as the highest run-getter for KKR

Manvinder Bisla

Raina slammed 73 runs off just 38 deliveries while the opening batter Michael Hussey also scored 54 runs. For KKR,  Rajat Bhatia, Shakib Al Hasan, and Jacques Kallis returned with one wicket each. 

Chasing 191, the Knight Riders got off to a poor start. The team lost their opening batter and skipper Gautam Gambhir at a dismal score of 2. However, Kolkata had little to worry about as Manvinder Bisla emerged as their wrecker-in-chief. The right-hander held his fort till the very end. Bisla stitched a crucial partnership with Jacques Kallis who added 69 runs to the scoreboard.

It was in the 15th over that Albie Morkel gave the much-needed breakthrough to the Yellow Army by sending Bisla back to the pavilion. The batter walked back after hammering 89 runs off just 48 balls. His knock was laced with eight boundaries and five maximums. The 36-year-old was also adjudged the Man of the Match as KKR took the trophy home. 

Also Read: ‘Fallen Idol’: The story behind Hansie Cronje’s lifetime ban from cricket