The Chennai Super Kings faced their fifth defeat of IPL 2022 when they failed to defend a 170-run target verus a Hardik Pandya-less Gujarat Titans at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Sunday. The defending champions now find themselves at the ninth rung of the points table with two points. 

Just when CSK thought they had a grip on the match with the Titans down 48/4 and 87/5, South African hard-hitter David Miller played an unbeaten 94-run hand in 51 balls to take his team home. The 32-year-old hit eight boundaries and six maximums to help Gujarat chase 170 runs with one ball to spare. He and stand-in skipper Rashid Khan (40 off 21 balls) stitched a 70-run match-winning stand for the Titans, who won by three wickets. 

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Gujarat Titans needed 13 runs in the last over. CSK’s Chris Jordan delivered two dots before Miller hit him for a flat six over fine leg. The English pacer then bowled a no-ball. The free hit ball went for a boundary and Miller very conviniently took two runs off the fifth ball to seal the game. 

“We started brilliantly. First six overs were good as a bowling unit, but credit goes to Miller, played some good cricket shots. When we were batting, wicket was gripping and ball was holding so we thought 169 was a par score,” Chennai Super Kings skipper Ravindra Jadeja said in the post-match presentation.

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He further admitted that CSK and Jordan failed to execute plans in the last over. 

“But we didn’t execute our plans in the last five (20th over). I think CJ (Chris Jordan) is experienced so I thought let me go with him. He can bowl 4-5 yorkers. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen today, that’s the beauty of T20 cricket,” he added.

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Dwayne Bravo took three and Maheesh Theekshana came back with a couple wickets for the Chennai Super Kings.