The humid air of Chennai hung heavy over the Chepauk, a thick blanket of anticipation that smelled of salt and adrenaline. As the umpires walked out, the noise level wasn't just loud; it was oppressive. It was a wall of sound designed to intimidate, to suffocate, to remind the visitors that they were trespassing in the Lion's Den.
Ishant Sharma took the new ball for the Deccan Chargers. He marked his run-up, wiping his hands on his trousers. The return of the lanky pacer was a gamble Deva had taken, hoping for extra bounce.
On strike was Murali Vijay, the local boy who knew every blade of grass on this field. At the non-striker's end stood Michael Hussey.
Over 1: Ishant Sharma to Murali Vijay
0.1: Ishant ran in. He hit the deck hard. Back of a length, shaping away.
Vijay let it go. The ball was carried through to the keeper at chest height.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri): "Good carry! That is why Ishant is in the side. There is a bounce in this pitch early on. Vijay watches it closely."
DOT BALL.
0.2: Ishant went fuller, looking for the swing.
Vijay leaned forward. He presented the full face of the bat. A solid defensive push to mid-off.
DOT BALL.
0.3: Ishant strayed onto the pads.
Vijay flicked. It wasn't timed perfectly, but it raced through the fast outfield to deep square leg.
2 Runs.
0.4: Short and wide.
Vijay's eyes lit up. He stood tall and punched it off the back foot.
The ball pierced the gap between cover and point. It raced away like a tracer bullet.
FOUR.
Commentary (Sunil Gavaskar): "That is the danger of width at Chepauk. The outfield is lightning fast. Vijay pounces on it. First boundary of the Final!"
0.5: Ishant corrected his line. Good length on off.
Defended.
DOT.
0.6: Ishant tried a bouncer. It didn't rise enough.
Vijay pulled. Not in control, but it fell safely in the vacant mid-wicket region.
1 Run.
Score: 7/0.
Over 2: Dale Steyn to Michael Hussey
Deva tossed the ball to his weapon. Dale Steyn. The crowd roared, acknowledging the contest. Steyn vs Hussey.
1.1: Steyn steamed in. 148 kmph.
Hussey tapped it to point.
DOT.
1.2: Steyn went fuller. Inswinger.
Hussey drove. It was a check-drive, pushing it past the bowler. Mid-on cut it off.
1 Run.
1.3: Steyn to Vijay.
150 kmph!
Vijay backed away, trying to create room. He was beaten for pace. The ball whizzed past the off stump.
DOT.
1.4: Steyn stared at Vijay. He ran in harder.
Bouncer. Directed at the badge.
Vijay ducked.
DOT.
1.5: Steyn tried the yorker.
Vijay dug it out to mid-off. They stole a quick single.
1 Run.
1.6: Hussey on strike.
Steyn bowled a length ball.
Hussey opened the face of the bat and guided it to third man.
1 Run.
Score: 10/0.
A quiet start. The Chargers were disciplined. But the storm was brewing.
Over 3: Ishant Sharma to Hussey
Hussey decided it was time to break the shackles.
2.1: Ishant bowled short.
Hussey pulled. He swiveled on one leg and deposited it over deep square leg.
SIX.
Commentary (Laxman Sivaramakrishnan): "Up and over! Hussey picks the length early! The crowd finds its voice! That whistle is deafening!"
2.2: Ishant went full.
Hussey drove through covers.
FOUR.
2.3: Ishant, rattled, bowled a wide.
WIDE.
2.4: Hussey took a single.
2.5: Vijay faced Ishant. He stepped out. He lofted Ishant over mid-on.
FOUR.
The over went for 16 runs. The pressure was released. The "Fortress" narrative was taking hold.
Deva brought on Dan Christian to take the pace off, but the CSK openers were in a rhythm. They rotated the strike beautifully, punishing anything loose.
Vijay hit Christian for a massive six over long-off. Hussey swept Amit Mishra (brought in early) for four.
Powerplay Score: 52/0.
CSK had won the first phase. The crowd was going berserk. The yellow flags were waving in a synchronized frenzy.
In the dugout, Darren Lehmann looked worried. "They are running away with it, Sid. We need a wicket."
Deva, standing at extra cover, wiped the sweat from his forehead. The humidity was insane. The ball was already getting slippery.
He walked to the umpire. "I'm bowling."
Over 8: Siddanth Deva to Michael Hussey
Hussey was on 28. Vijay on 22. They looked set for a hundred-run stand.
7.1: Deva ran in. He didn't bowl fast. He bowled a cutter. 128 kmph.
Hussey, expecting pace, was through the shot early. He chipped it to the off-side, but it fell short of the fielder.
DOT.
7.2: Deva went wide of the crease. He angled it in.
Hussey defended.
DOT.
7.3: Deva bowled the heavy ball. Cross-seam. It kicked off the surface.
Hussey tried to cut. It was too close to his body.
A faint tickle.
Sohal in the slip caught it.
Commentary (Shastri): "The Captain does it! He brings himself on and breaks the stand! Hussey goes for 28! Just a little bit of extra bounce and the cross-seam delivery does the trick! A much-needed breakthrough for the Chargers!"
WICKET (Hussey 28).
The crowd went quiet for a second, then cheered as Suresh Raina walked in. The Prince of IPL.
Over 10: The Brilliance in the Field
Deva continued from one end. Amit Mishra bowled from the other.
9.3: Mishra to Raina.
Raina tapped it to point and called for a quick single.
Murali Vijay responded.
The ball went to Deva's left.
Deva moved. He didn't run; he pounced. He utilized his [Predator's Focus]. The world slowed down.
He picked up the ball one-handed on the run.
He didn't steady himself. He threw it while airborne.
The stumps were at a 45-degree angle.
CRASH.
The bails lit up (metaphorically, no LED stumps in 2011).
Vijay dived, but he was inches short.
Commentary (Danny Morrison): "OH, MAGNIFICENT! WHAT A THROW! Siddanth Deva, you beauty! He swoops like a hawk and hits the bullseye! Vijay is gone! Run out by a mile! The Captain is doing everything today!"
WICKET (Vijay 35).
Score after 10 Overs: 75/2.
The Chargers had fought back. Two quick wickets. The run rate was 7.5.
With two wickets down, the Chargers smelled blood. But Suresh Raina loved batting at Chepauk. He loved the spin. He loved the heat.
S. Badrinath joined him.
Deva decided to attack with spin. He kept Mishra on and brought Pragyan Ojha from the other end.
Over 12: Amit Mishra to Raina
11.1: Mishra tossed it up, hoping for a mishit.
Raina cleared his front leg. He went inside-out over extra cover.
It was the shot of the tournament. Pure timing.
SIX.
11.2: Mishra bowled a googly.
Raina read it. He rocked back and pulled it to the mid-wicket fence.
FOUR.
11.3: Raina stepped out. He didn't hit it hard. He just chipped it over the bowler's head.
FOUR.
Commentary (Gavaskar): "This is high-quality batting against spin. Raina is not letting Mishra settle. He is using his feet, he is using the depth of the crease. He is single-handedly shifting the momentum back to yellow."
Over 14: Pragyan Ojha to Raina
13.4: Ojha fired it in flat.
Raina slog-swept.
The ball flew into the 'I' stand.
SIX.
Raina reached his 50 in just 28 balls. He raised his bat to the roaring crowd.
Score after 15 Overs: 135/2.
Raina was on 55. Badrinath was playing the anchor on 15.
The platform was set for a massive finish.
---
Over 16: Dale Steyn to Badrinath
Steyn returned for his second spell. He was angry. He wanted wickets.
15.2: Steyn bowled a bouncer.
Badrinath hooked. Top edge.
Fine leg took the catch.
WICKET (Badrinath 18).
The crowd cheered the wicket. Not because they hated Badrinath, but because they knew who was coming next.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The noise was deafening. Dhoni... Dhoni...
Over 17: Siddanth Deva to Dhoni
With Steyn having just bowled, Deva brought himself back into the attack. He wanted to test Dhoni early.
16.1: Deva to Dhoni.
145 kmph. Length ball.
Dhoni defended.
DOT.
16.2: Deva to Dhoni.
Bouncer.
Dhoni swayed.
DOT.
16.3: Deva to Dhoni.
Yorker.
Dhoni dug it out.
DOT.
Three dots. Deva was keeping the pressure on.
16.4: Deva missed his length by an inch. Full toss.
Dhoni whipped it. The bottom hand power was incredible.
The ball rocketed to the mid-wicket boundary.
FOUR.
16.5: Deva went short again.
Dhoni pulled. Not timed, but he muscled it over mid-on.
FOUR.
Score: 148/3.
Over 18: Ishant Sharma to Raina
Ishant Sharma came back. He looked nervous. Raina looked hungry.
17.1: Full toss.
Raina hit it over long-off.
SIX.
17.2: Wide yorker.
Raina sliced it over point.
FOUR.
17.4: Ishant tried a slower ball.
Raina waited. He smashed it straight back.
SIX.
19 runs off the over.
Score: 167/3.
Over 19: Dale Steyn to Dhoni
Deva brought Steyn back for the penultimate over. It was the clash of titans.
18.1: Steyn to Dhoni.
Dhoni stepped out. He slapped Steyn over cover.
FOUR.
18.3: Steyn bowled a perfect yorker.
Dhoni jammed it out.
DOT.
18.5: Raina on strike.
Steyn bowled a bouncer.
Raina pulled. Top edge.
The ball flew over the keeper.
FOUR.
Score: 178/3.
The target was already imposing. 178 on the board. The crowd wanted 190.
Deva took the ball for the 20th over.
Ball 19.1: Deva to Raina
Deva ran in. He tried the wide yorker.
He bowled a wide.
WIDE. (Score: 179/3).
Ball 19.1 (Re-bowl):
Deva went round the wicket. He aimed for the heels.
Raina moved away. He created room.
He carved it over extra cover.
FOUR.
Commentary (Shastri): "Raina is unstoppable! He moves to 82! He finds the gap with surgical precision!"
Ball 19.2: Deva to Raina
Deva went for the bouncer. 145 kmph.
Raina hooked.
He connected perfectly.
The ball sailed over deep square leg.
SIX.
Commentary (Morrison): "INTO THE CROWD! That is massive! Raina is putting on a show in the Final! 190 is up!"
The score was 190/3. Deva was getting hammered.
Ball 19.3: Deva to Raina
Deva took a deep breath. He activated [Predator's Focus]. He blocked out the noise.
He saw Raina shuffling.
Deva bowled a knuckleball. 112 kmph. Full and straight.
Raina swung hard, looking for another six over mid-wicket.
He was deceived by the dip.
The ball hit the middle stump.
WICKET (Raina 88).
Commentary (Gavaskar): "Finally! The Captain strikes back! A magnificent innings from Suresh Raina comes to an end. 88 off 52 balls. He has set up the game for CSK. But Deva has the last laugh."
Albie Morkel walked in.
Ball 19.4: Deva to Albie Morkel
Morkel on strike. The new man. Deva fired in a yorker on middle stump. Morkel jammed it out to long-on. He wanted two, but Dhoni sent him back after the first run. 1 Run.
Ball 19.5: Deva to Dhoni
Dhoni on strike. He wanted a boundary. Deva went wide. Dhoni threw his hands at it. Thick outside edge. It flew past short third man. FOUR.
Ball 19.6: Deva to Dhoni
Last ball of the innings. Deva ran in. He bowled a slower bouncer. Dhoni pulled. He didn't get all of it. It went to deep mid-wicket. They ran hard. One. Two. The throw came in, but Dhoni was safe. 2 Runs.
Final Score: Chennai Super Kings 197/4.
Target for Deccan Chargers: 198.
---
As the players caught their breath, the internet caught fire. The timeline was a mix of awe, fear, and memes.
@HarshaBhogle:
"197 in a final! That is a statement. Suresh Raina played the innings of his life today. But Siddanth Deva... that run out of Vijay? He is everywhere! #IPLFinal #CSKvDC"
@ShaneWarne:
"Great recovery from CSK after the early wickets. Raina showed his class. But Deva pulling things back in that 20th over? Nerves of steel. 198 is chaseable but tough. Game on!"
@CSK_BleedYellow:
"THALA FINISH! 🔥 Those last few runs could be the difference. Raina is the Chinna Thala for a reason! 88 runs of pure gold! 💛🦁 #WhistlePodu"
@DevaFanClub:
"198 is big but Deva hai toh mumkin hai! (If Deva is there, it's possible!) #GoChargers"
@AakashChopra:
"Raina's assault on the spinners was the turning point. He took the game away from DC in the middle overs. Ishant's return was mixed, but Steyn and Deva kept fighting. The dew will be key now."
@BollywoodBabe:
"My nails are gone! What a match! Dhoni vs Deva in the final over was intense. Can't wait for the chase! 🏏💥"
Mid-Innings Show:
Ravi Shastri: "198 to win. In a final. Against this bowling attack. Sunny, is it possible?"
Sunil Gavaskar: "It is going to be incredibly difficult. The highest chase in an IPL final is 164. To chase 198, someone needs to play a blinder. Raina was magnificent. Dhoni finished well. Deva picked up wickets, but he went for runs at the end. The pressure is squarely on the Chargers."
Danny Morrison: "If anyone can do it, it's the Devil. But he needs help. Dhawan needs to fire. Sohal needs to fire. They need a flyer in the Powerplay."
Deva walked off the field, wiping his face. He looked at the scoreboard. 198.
He walked past Dhoni.
"Good score," Deva said.
"Good luck," Dhoni smiled.
In the dressing room, the Chargers were silent. 198 felt like 250.
Deva clapped his hands. "Listen up! We scored 206 in the Qualifier. The pitch is good. The dew is there. We can chase this. Shikhar, Sunny... go out there and break the ball."
The second innings was about to begin. The Chargers needed a miracle.
---
Target: 198
Required Run Rate: 9.90
The task was monumental. History was against them. The crowd was against them. And Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the chessmaster of Chennai, was making his moves before a ball was even bowled.
As Shikhar Dhawan and Sunny Sohal walked out to the crease, the humid air of Chepauk felt heavy, suffocating. The yellow flags were waving in a frenzy, creating a strobe-light effect under the floodlights.
Dhoni tossed the new ball not to his pacer, Doug Bollinger, but to his premier spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin.
Over 1: Ashwin to Sohal
0.1: Ashwin started with a slider. Flat, fast, skidding onto the pads.
Sohal defended nervously.
DOT.
0.2: Ashwin tossed it up slightly, teasing the drive.
Sohal pushed it to cover.
DOT.
0.3: Pressure. Sohal felt the need to feel bat on ball. He tried to force a shot through the off-side against the spin.
The ball gripped. It stopped on him.
The bat turned in his hand. The ball popped up gently, looping like a gift towards short extra cover.
Suresh Raina moved two steps to his left and pouched it.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri): "What a start for Chennai! Ashwin strikes in the first over! Sunny Sohal succumbs to the pressure and the spin! A duck in the final! The noise in this stadium is deafening!"
WICKET (Sohal 0).
JP Duminy walked out at No. 3. The South African looked calm, but inside, his heart was hammering.
Over 2: Doug Bollinger to Dhawan
Bollinger steamed in from the other end. Pace and bounce.
Dhawan managed a single. Duminy got off the mark with a nervous push.
DC: 4/1.
Over 3: Ashwin to Dhawan
Dhoni kept the slip in. He knew Dhawan liked to dominate.
2.1: Dhawan stepped out. He smashed Ashwin past the bowler.
FOUR.
Commentary (Gavaskar): "Good positive intent from Shikhar. He needs to unsettle the spinner."
2.2: Ashwin adjusted. He bowled the carrom ball.
Dhawan didn't pick it. He played for the off-spin.
The ball straightened. It beat the inside edge.
THUD.
Pad first. Right in front of middle stump.
Ashwin roared. Dhoni roared. The umpire raised the finger instantly.
Commentary (Laxman Sivaramakrishnan): "Plumb! As plumb as it gets! Dhawan reads it wrong and pays the price! Both openers are back in the hut inside 3 overs! Ashwin is spinning a web around the Chargers!"
WICKET (Dhawan 8).
Score: 12/2.
The silence in the Deccan dugout was absolute. The fortress of 200 was looking miles away. The Chargers were crumbling.
Siddanth Deva walked out at No. 4. Two down for 12 runs. Chasing 198.
He walked to the crease. He didn't look at the crowd. He looked at Duminy.
"JP," Deva said, tapping the pitch. "Forget the target. Forget the rate. Just bat. We need to be here at the 10th over. If we lose another wicket now, we lose the final."
Duminy nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Understood. No risks."
What followed was a period of gritty, unglamorous cricket. It was the kind of cricket that doesn't make highlight reels but wins wars.
Dhoni attacked. He brought on Albie Morkel and Suresh Raina. He crowded the bat.
Over 6 (Powerplay End):
Deva drove Morkel for a boundary through covers—a release shot.
Score: 35/2.
Run Rate: 5.8. Required: 11.6.
Deva and Duminy stopped hitting boundaries. They started running.
They pushed to long-on. One.
They tapped to point. One.
They worked it to fine leg. Two.
They turned the Chepauk pitch into a treadmill. They tested the arms of the CSK fielders.
Commentary (Harsha Bhogle): "This is sensible. This is mature. They are rebuilding the innings brick by brick. The run rate is climbing, yes, it's touching 12, but they are keeping wickets in hand. Deva is batting on 22, Duminy on 25. They are setting a platform."
By the end of the 10th Over, the score was 70/2.
Deva: 28 (22).
Duminy: 30 (26).
Equation: 128 runs needed off 60 balls.
Required Rate: 12.80.
The Strategic Time-out was taken.
Deva drank water, breathing heavily. The humidity was draining.
"Okay," Deva said to Duminy. "We have the base. Now we launch. We need 15 run overs now."
Duminy tightened his gloves. "Let's go."
Over 11: Shadab Jakati to Duminy
10.1: Jakati tossed it up.
Duminy went down on one knee. The slog sweep.
It connected sweetly. The ball sailed over deep mid-wicket.
SIX.
10.3: Short ball.
Duminy pulled.
FOUR.
13 runs off the over. Score: 83/2.
Over 12: Suresh Raina to Deva
11.2: Deva stepped out. He lofted Raina inside-out over extra cover.
FOUR.
11.5: Deva cut hard past point.
FOUR.
12 runs off the over. Score: 95/2.
Over 13: Ravichandran Ashwin to Duminy
Dhoni brought his strike bowler back to break the momentum. Ashwin vs Duminy.
12.1: Duminy reverse swept.
FOUR.
Commentary (Morrison): "Audacious! JP is taking the fight to Ashwin! He is manipulating the field!"
12.2: Ashwin went round the wicket. Fired it in flat.
Duminy tried to repeat the shot. He wanted to hit it over short third man.
He got a top edge.
The ball looped up.
Doug Bollinger at short third man moved back and took a simple catch.
Commentary (Shastri): "And that is the end of the resistance! Duminy tries one too many! Ashwin breaks the partnership just as it was becoming dangerous! JP goes for a well-made 44. But is it enough?"
WICKET (Duminy 44).
Score: 108/3.
Dan Christian walked in. The big-hitting Australian.
But the wicket had shifted the momentum. Ashwin finished the over tight.
Over 14: Dwayne Bravo
Dhoni brought on Bravo. Slower balls. Dipping yorkers.
Deva and Christian struggled to get the ball away.
Score: 112/3.
Over 15: Shadab Jakati to Dan Christian
Christian was on strike. He looked restless. 4 runs off 5 balls. The required rate was now over 15.
14.1: Single.
14.2: Deva single.
14.3: Christian swing and miss.
14.4: Christian 2 runs.
14.6: Last ball of the 15th over.
Jakati bowled it wide outside off.
Christian reached for it. He tried to drag-sweep it over long-on.
It was a tired shot. He didn't get to the pitch.
The ball flew flat and fast towards the boundary.
Michael Hussey ran to his left at long-on. He dived forward. A brilliant, low catch.
Commentary (Gavaskar): "Taken! Hussey makes no mistake! Dan Christian goes for a struggle! The Chargers are falling apart at the seams! They are losing wickets at the worst possible times!"
WICKET (Christian 7).
Score after 15 Overs: 115/4.
Deva watched Christian walk back. He looked at the scoreboard.
Target: 198.
Runs Scored: 115.
Equation: 83 runs needed off 30 balls.
Required Rate: 16.60.
Deva's Score: 45* off 35 balls.
The giant screen flashed the Win Probability.
CSK: 92%
DC: 8%
The Chepauk crowd was already celebrating. The whistles were deafening. The yellow flags were waving in a sea of triumph. Dhoni was adjusting his field, looking calm, looking like a winner.
Deva walked to the center of the pitch. He took a deep breath. He looked at the incoming batsman, Bharat Chipli.
"83 runs," Deva whispered to himself. "30 balls. 8 percent chance."
He tightened his grip on the bat. The system hummed in the back of his mind.
[System Warning: High Stress Levels Detected.]
[Adrenaline: Spiking.]
The Devil smiled.
"Perfect."
---
As the graphic "CSK WIN PROBABILITY: 92%" flashed on television screens around the world, the internet began to write the eulogy for the Deccan Chargers.
@CSK_WhistlePodu: "GAME OVER! 💛🦁 The Lions have devoured the Bulls! 92% chance? Might as well be 100%. Dhoni lifting the trophy is inevitable now. #Yellove #Champions"
@CricketStatsGuy: "Stat Alert: No team has ever chased 83 runs in the last 5 overs at Chepauk. The required rate is 16.60. Mathematically, DC needs a miracle per over. It's done."
@IPL_Memes: "DC Fans right now: 🤡 waiting for a miracle. Deva is good, but he isn't Superman. Start the car, Hyderabad! 👋😂"
@HarshaBhogle: "It feels like the end of the road for the Chargers. They fought bravely all season, but Chennai at home in a final is just too strong. Deva is stranded."
@Deva_FanClub: "I am turning off the TV. I can't watch him lose like this. Christian threw it away! 💔 Why does it always end in heartbreak?"
@NexusArjun: "8%? I'll take those odds. The game isn't over until the last ball is bowled or Deva is in the pavilion. Hold the faith. 🐂💙 #Believe"
MS Dhoni tossed the ball to Dwayne Bravo. The West Indian all-rounder was the best death bowler in the world at that moment.
15.1: Bravo to Chipli
Bravo started with a wide yorker.
Chipli threw his hands at it. It squirted to deep point.
He ran a single.
1 Run.
Siddanth Deva was on strike. 45* off 35 balls.
15.2: Bravo to Deva
Bravo released the ball. To the naked eye, it looked fast. To Deva, it was floating.
Deva waited. He carved it over extra cover.
FOUR.
15.3: Bravo to Deva
Bravo went for the body. A sharp bouncer directed at the helmet.
Deva saw it early. He swiveled and pulled it behind square.
One bounce. Into the fence.
FOUR.
Commentary (Gavaskar): "He is picking the length so early! Bravo is trying to mix it up, but Deva is reading him like a book. Two boundaries in two balls!"
15.4: Bravo to Deva
Bravo went round the wicket. He aimed for the heels.
Deva shuffled across. He flicked his wrists.
The ball sped to deep mid-wicket.
They ran hard. One. Two.
2 Runs.
15.5: Bravo to Deva
Bravo nailed the yorker this time. Base of middle stump.
Deva dug it out. It rolled to long-on.
1 Run.
15.6: Bravo to Chipli
Chipli swung and missed a slower ball.
DOT BALL.
Runs in Over: 12.
Score after 16 Overs: 127/4.
Equation: 71 runs needed off 24 balls.
Required Rate: 17.75.
The crowd cheered the boundaries, but the math was still heavily in CSK's favor. 12 runs was a good over, but they needed 18.
"We need a big one," Deva told Chipli as they punched gloves. "Next over. Albie Morkel. I'm going after him."
Deva tapped his bat. He looked at the field setting. Long-on was back. Deep mid-wicket was back.
16.1: Morkel to Deva
Morkel bowled it in the slot. Looking for swing.
Deva cleared his front leg. He didn't just hit it; he dismantled it.
Straight back over the bowler's head. It hit the sight screen.
SIX.
16.2: Morkel to Deva
Morkel dragged the length back. Short ball.
Deva was waiting. He transferred his weight back and pulled ferociously.
The ball sailed over deep mid-wicket and landed in the second tier.
SIX.
Commentary (Shastri): "Back to back! He is turning it on! The crowd has gone quiet! That was a monster hit!"
16.3: Morkel to Deva
Pressure on Morkel. He tried the wide yorker.
He missed. Full toss outside off.
Deva reached out. He sliced it with incredible power over deep point.
It flew flat. It kept rising.
SIX.
Commentary (Morrison): "THREE IN A ROW! Are you kidding me?! He is treating Albie Morkel like a club bowler! 52 needed off 21! The belief is back!"
16.4: Morkel to Deva
Morkel went round the wicket. He aimed for the pads.
Deva shuffled across. He picked it up from outside leg stump.
The 'Pick-up Shot'.
He whipped it over square leg. The timing was pure silk.
SIX.
Commentary (Gavaskar): "Four sixes! This is unbelievable hitting! He has scored 24 runs in 4 balls! The equation is melting away!"
16.5: Morkel to Deva
One ball left. Deva wanted five.
Morkel ran in, sweating, panicked. He bowled a slower ball into the pitch.
Deva waited. He swiveled.
He pulled it flat over deep mid-wicket again.
SIX.
5 SIXES IN A ROW.
The Chepauk was stunned into silence. Even the Whistle Podu army forgot to whistle.
16.6: Morkel to Deva
Last ball of the over.
Morkel bowled a wide yorker.
Deva squeezed it to deep cover.
He jogged a single. He wanted the strike for the next over.
1 Run.
Total Runs in Over: 31 runs.
Deva's Score: 87* (46 balls).
Score after 17 Overs: 159/4.
Equation: 39 runs needed off 18 balls.
Required Rate: 13.00.
Commentary (Shastri): "THIRTY-ONE RUNS OFF THE OVER! Siddanth Deva has single-handedly brought the Chargers back from the dead! 5 sixes in a row! Albie Morkel doesn't know where to look! Dhoni is walking to the bowler, but the damage is done! From 70 off 24 to 39 off 18! GAME ON!"
Deva walked to Chipli and punched his glove. He didn't smile. He just nodded. He had the strike.
---
The timeline, which had been preparing for a funeral, suddenly burst into flames. The "Delete Tweet" button was being hit by thousands of CSK fans simultaneously.
@HarshaBhogle: "I have no words. I simply have no words. 5 sixes in an IPL Final chase! Siddanth Deva has just played the greatest over in T20 history! The stadium is in shock! #IPLFinal #DevaMode"
@virendersehwag: "HAHAHA! I told you! Don't switch off the TV! 31 runs in an over! Albie Morkel, I feel your pain, brother! This boy is a monster! @YUVSTRONG12 did you teach him that? 😂 #Deva #Carnage"
@YUVSTRONG12: "HE MISSED THE 6TH ONE! 😂 But seriously... wow. Just wow. The bat speed is frightening. Go get it Sid! 🏆"
@CSK_WhistlePodu: "... okay, we are panicking now. 😨 What is this guy? How did he do that? Morkel just bowled throwdowns! Dhoni needs to do something FAST! #StressLevel100"
@CricInfo: "STAT ALERT: Most runs in a single over in an IPL Final. Siddanth Deva (31). The equation has dropped from 'Impossible' to 'Very Possible'. 39 off 18. The momentum has swung violently!"
@Trendsetter: "Dhoni walking to the bowler. The calm face is gone. He looks worried. Deva has rattled the Captain Cool. This is legendary stuff."
@NexusArjun: "8%? How about now? Never tell him the odds. NEVER. 🚀 #Deva #Champion"
Bowler: Dwayne Bravo.
Striker: Siddanth Deva (87*).
Dhoni called Bravo back. The best death bowler in the world.
17.1: Bravo to Deva
Bravo bowled a wide yorker.
Deva was expecting it. He reached out. He opened the face of the bat and guided it past point.
FOUR.
(Deva moves to 91).
17.2: Bravo to Deva
Bravo went for the yorker at the toes.
Deva flicked his wrists. He whipped it to deep mid-wicket.
They ran hard. One. Two.
2 Runs.
(Deva moves to 93).
17.3: Bravo to Deva
Bravo tried the slower ball.
Deva saw it early. He stepped out and smashed it over extra cover.
SIX.
(Deva moves to 99).
17.4: Bravo to Deva
The crowd was holding its breath. Deva on 99.
Bravo bowled a bouncer.
Deva swiveled. He pulled it gently to deep square leg.
They ran two.
2 Runs.
CENTURY FOR SIDDANTH DEVA.
101 off 50 balls.*
The stadium applauded, but Deva didn't celebrate. He just raised his bat briefly to the dugout.
Equation: 25 needed off 14.
17.5: Bravo to Deva
Deva punched a full ball to long-off.
1 Run.
(Chipli on strike).
17.6: Bravo to Chipli
Last ball of the over. 24 needed off 13.
Bravo bowled a brilliant dipping yorker.
Chipli swung and missed. The ball missed the stumps by a whisker.
DOT BALL.
Total Runs in Over: 15 runs.
Score after 18 Overs: 174/4.
Equation: 24 runs needed off 12 balls.
Bowler: Doug Bollinger.
Striker: Siddanth Deva.
Dhoni turned to his left-arm pacer.
18.1: Bollinger to Deva
Bollinger ran in. He bowled full on the pads.
Deva flicked it to deep mid-wicket.
They ran two.
2 Runs.
(Equation: 22 off 11).
18.2: Bollinger to Deva
Bollinger tried the yorker. He missed. It was in the slot.
Deva cleared his front leg. He hit it straight back over the bowler's head.
SIX.
(Equation: 16 off 10).
Commentary (Shastri): "High and handsome! 16 off 10! The pressure is shifting! Deva is doing it!"
18.3: Bollinger to Deva
Bollinger went short. 145 kmph.
Deva was waiting. He rocked back.
He pulled it in front of square.
One bounce. Four.
FOUR.
(Equation: 12 off 9).
18.4: Bollinger to Deva
12 needed. A boundary here kills the game.
Bollinger bowled a wide yorker.
Deva reached out. He squeezed it to deep cover.
They settled for a single.
1 Run.
(Equation: 11 off 8).
18.5: Bollinger to Chipli
Chipli on strike.
Bollinger bowled a slower ball. Off-cutter.
Chipli swung across the line.
Top edge.
The ball went high.
The Catch: MS Dhoni called for it. He ran towards short fine leg. He took it safely.
WICKET (Chipli 5).
Commentary (Gavaskar): "Wicket! A twist in the tale! Chipli goes!"
Amit Mishra walked in.
18.6: Bollinger to Mishra
11 needed off 7. Mishra on strike.
Bollinger bowled a fast yorker.
Mishra dug it out. It rolled to point.
They scrambled a desperate single.
1 Run.
Score after 19 Overs: 188/5.
Target: 198.
Equation: 10 runs needed off 6 balls.
Striker: Siddanth Deva (115*).
Non-Striker: Amit Mishra.
Bowler: Dwayne Bravo.
The equation was simple. 10 runs. 6 balls.
The bowler was Dwayne Bravo.
The batsman was Siddanth Deva.
The noise in the stadium was beyond human comprehension. It was a roar that vibrated the very air.
Ball 19.1: Bravo to Deva
Deva stood at the crease. He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second.
He triggered the system.
[Skill Activated: Chronos Perception]
[Time Dilation: Active]
The world slowed down. The screaming crowd became a low, distorted drone. The floodlights seemed to flicker in slow motion. Deva could see the individual beads of sweat on Bravo's forehead.
Bravo ran in. In Deva's eyes, he was moving underwater.
Deva watched the hand. He saw the grip. The index finger and middle finger were split wide. The Slower Ball.
Bravo released it. The ball floated.
Deva waited. He had an eternity to wait.
He cleared his front leg. He aligned his body.
He swung.
CRACK.
The moment the bat connected, time snapped back to normal speed.
The ball rocketed off the bat. It soared high over Long-On. It kept going. It landed on the roof of the stadium.
SIX.
(Score: 194. Needs 4).
Equation: 4 runs needed off 5 balls.
Ball 19.2: Bravo to Deva
Bravo looked shaken. He went back to his mark. He decided on pace. He decided on the yorker.
Deva was still in the zone.
He saw the release. Low arm. Fast. Aiming for the base of the off-stump.
Deva didn't try to block. He shuffled across his stumps. He exposed all three sticks.
He got under the ball.
He played the Scoop.
The ball hit the middle of the bat. It flew over the keeper's head.
It landed just inside the boundary rope and bounced over.
SIX (Winning Shot).
IT WAS OVER.
Final Score: 200/5.
Deva didn't run. He watched the ball cross the rope.
He bent down. He pulled the stump out of the ground.
He turned to Amit Mishra, who was running towards him screaming.
Deva raised the stump. He roared. A sound of pure, unadulterated triumph.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri): "HE HAS DONE IT! SIDDANTH DEVA! THE NAWAB OF HYDERABAD HAS CONQUERED CHENNAI! Two balls, twelve runs! He hits them out of the park! The Deccan Chargers are the Champions of IPL 2011! 127 not out! What a player! What a finish!"
MS Dhoni walked up to him from behind the stumps. The Chennai captain looked at the young man who had just snatched the trophy from his hands.
Dhoni extended a hand.
"Well played, Sid," Dhoni said, a genuine smile on his face. "You deserved it."
Deva shook his hand. "Thanks, Mahi bhai."
The Chargers stormed the field. The confetti cannon exploded. The night belonged to the Bull.