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Untitled Document
 Chennai Super Kings enter semi-finals
28th May 2008 07:00 IST
Agencies
Chennai Super Kings grabbed the last available semi-final spot in the Indian Premier League after beating Deccan Chargers by seven wickets in their last league match in Hyderabad Tuesday night.
Chasing 148 to win, the visitors overhauled the modest target with four balls to spare, thanks to sensible batting by Suresh Raina (54 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (37).
The Chennai team not only sealed a semi-final place for themselves they also broke the heart of Sachin Tendulkar led Mumbai Indians team, which is now out of the tournament.
A loss of Chennai on Tuesday and a Mumbai win on Wednesday against Bangalore Royal Challengers would have enabled Mumbai to enter the last-four stage of the tournament.
Now Mumbai's last league match has been rendered inconsequential.
Dhoni played some blistering shots in his 25-ball knock which included four fours and one six and shared a crucial 55-run stand with Raina for the third wicket.
Skipper's fall brought Albie Morkel on the crease and he together with Raina saw their team home, though some tight bowling at death made the encounter interesting.
Pragyan Ojha had Dhoni caught in the deep by Herschelle Gibbs and that put brakes on run-flow.
Chennai required 17 runs off the last two overs. Rudra Pratap Singh bowled the penultimate over, which fetched the visitors 10 runs.
Raina hit Paidikalva Vjaykumar for a six on the second ball of the last over to seal the victory for his team and also brought up his half-century.
Raina consumed 43-balls for his brilliant 54-run innings, adorned with five boundaries and two shots over the fence.
Kumar drew the first blood when he dismissed former Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming (14) but the hosts could build on the early success as Parthiv Patel and Raina did not give them any chance.
Fleming went for an extravagant shot outside the off- stump but ended up in the gloves of Adam Gilchrist behind the wickets.
Raina played some elegant shots on the offside and together with Patel put up 34-runs for the second wicket before the Gujarati batsman walked back.
Patel hit straight to Shahid Afridi at covers to become the victim of PM Sravesh Kumar.
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