KKR vs CSK HIghlights, IPL 2025: MS Dhoni wins it for Chennai Super Kings

Right then, yet another fascinating contest in the 2025 IPL comes to an enthralling end. With just a handful of games remaining in the league stage, we will start to see a couple of more teams bow out and a couple of them seal a top-four berth. Next up, it is another crunch clash between two teams that are in the top 5 currently, as Punjab Kings welcome Delhi Capitals at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. That game will be played on Thursday, 8 May at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but you can tune in a lot sooner to our build-up. Cheers!

Noor Ahmad is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his four-fer. Noor says it was a super win and is really happy with his own bowling and also applauds Brevis for the way he played. Adds that he never had his focus on being the top wicket-taker and just wanted to contribute to the team. On his favorite wicket this evening, he says that the nick from Raghuvanshi was his favorite. Ends by saying that he just tries to keep his length correct at all times.

MS Dhoni, the captain of CSK, is down for a chat. He says these newly signed players are currently part of the team right now and they have the opportunity to test them. He says they want to see the approach and the mindset of the batters in the middle of a game. He feels it’s not about just being a technically correct batter, but it’s more about being aware of the bowler's game plan and things like that. Adds that the game plan today was simple to play out their spinners as the required run rate was not too high, and thanks to Brevis, they had the luxury to bat out some overs. And he also feels given this venue has small boundary dimensions, it’s not that hard to clear it. He says Dube did a good job as he got 3-4 hits and it was also important for him to understand that he was the last designated batter, so he didn’t want to play any rash shots. Also mentions that he appreciates the love and affection he has received over the period of his career and he mentions it’s important to understand that he is 43 now and he has played for a long time. He ends by saying that he will see if his body can see itself through and if he can return next year.

The Presentation ceremony...

Dewald Brevis, CSK's half-centurion, is down for a chat. He says he is grateful as he used his opportunity well. He says it was an interesting innings, as a few wickets fell quickly. He says, given the conditions, they had to adjust accordingly and go along. He adds it is important to play out the good balls and target the bad ones. He mentions it's important to keep playing the way he is playing and it’s about being true to yourself. He says the more he plays, the more he will figure his way out. He says the fans are incredible and the cricket is of a high level. He says sitting at home made him very hungry and he trusted in god’s plan and the process and he is grateful to have been able to contribute to a win.

The captain of KKR, Ajinkya Rahane, admits it is tough to be on the losing side. He feels they fall 10–15 runs short and that a total around 185–190 would have been ideal on this surface. Rahane points out that in this format, one big over can shift the momentum, and credits Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube for taking their chances, which paid off. He has no complaints about the effort, praising the bowlers for trying their best. Looking ahead, Rahane says the focus is on winning the remaining two games and seeing where that takes them.

Earlier in the game, Ajinkya Rahane opted to bat first on a deck that seemed to be slowing down and KKR had also won their previous two games batting first. However, that opening combination didn't work out yet again and the skipper, Ajinkya Rahane had to step up once more. Rahane fell two runs short of a half century but a quickfire cameo from Andre Russell, followed by a solid knock from Manish Pandey, took KKR on the verge of the 180-run mark. As for CSK, Noor Ahmad was the star yet again as he picked up four wickets and Matheesha Pathirana closed out the innings really well.

KKR will feel that this game was there for the taking, especially after they got all those wickets early on. Vaibhav Arora, Moeen Ali and then Harshit Rana all picked up wickets in their first overs before Varun Chakaravarthy also got into the act and it seemed like one more wicket at that time would have sealed the deal for KKR. However, with a couple of CSK batters scoring quick runs meant that one good partnership in the middle phase was enough to break the back of a target that was always slightly under-par. KKR now have to win their remaining two games and hope that a few fixtures go their way in order to even have a chance of making it into the top four.

180 wasn't the biggest of targets to chase down and CSK did have a bit of momentum after that fine final over from Matheesha Pathirana, but they lost Ayush Mhatre for a duck in the first over. Conway too fell for a duck as debutant Urvil Patel came in and smashed four sixes in his 11-ball cameo of 31 runs. CSK lost as many as 5 wickets in the Powerplay and were just too aggressive with the strokeplay. Then came the crucial stand between Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube, with the former changing the game with a 30-run over against Vaibhav Arora. It still went down to the wire and a couple of big hits from Dube and then a telling one from MSD in that final over saw CSK over the line.

CSK ALL BUT KNOCK KKR OUT OF THE PLAYOFF RACE! A win after a string of four straight losses for CSK and just a third win of the season overall, but a big one for the future. KKR, on the other hand, ended an uncanny home season with a fourth loss from 7 matches and are now on the verge of losing their IPL crown.

Andre Russell to Anshul Kamboj, FOUR! Anshul Kamboj finishes it off! Dre Russ attempts a yorker but does not quite get it full enough, on off, Anshul Kamboj manages to get under the ball and with a clean swing of the arms, lofts it over mid on for a boundary. CSK win with 2 balls to spare!

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, Scores level! Andre Russell nails the yorker, on off, MS Dhoni digs it out towards extra cover and looks for two but Ajinkya Rahane is quick across the turf to cut it off and keeps the batters down to a single. 1 needed off 3 balls.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, On off, very full, MS Dhoni knocks it to long off but does not take the single.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, SIX! A gift and MS Dhoni accepts it gleefully! That should do it for CSK. Just 2 runs needed now. Andre Russell goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a juicy low full toss, on middle, Dhoni does not miss out as he slams it over deep mid-wicket for a six.

Anshul Kamboj is the new man in. However, it will be MS Dhoni on strike. Andre Russell to bowl the final over, 8 needed for CSK to win. Here we go...

Vaibhav Arora to Noor Ahmad, OUT! TAKEN! Noor Ahmad had to go for a big hit, with it being the final ball! KKR are still pretty much in it. On a back of a length, on middle, Noor Ahmad hangs back and flat bats it. Does not get any sort of elevation and hits it flat and straight to long on where Rinku Singh does the rest. CSK need 8 from the final over.

Vaibhav Arora to Noor Ahmad, Arora is not happy with the effort in the deep! Vaibhav goes full and straight, at the stumps, Noor Ahmad gets his bat down to jam it out. Squeezes it out off an inside edge to the right of deep square leg where Ramandeep Singh swoops in and gets to the ball. The throw is a loopy one and even though the keeper, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, collects and whips the bails, Noor is in with a dive at the batting end. Two runs taken.

Noor Ahmad is in next.

Vaibhav Arora to Shivam Dube, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! A ray of hope for KKR! Rinku Singh holds onto a pressure catch. This was there to be hit, in the slot, around off, Shivam Dube winds up to go over long off and ends up getting more height than distance on it. Rinku at long off settles under the skier and completes a safe catch while tumbling backwards. Dube falls for 45 (40) with CSK still needing 10 runs.

Vaibhav Arora to Shivam Dube, SIX! In the arc and thumped into the stands! Vaibhav Arora shifts from his wide yorker plan. Serves it closer to the off stump. On a length, Shivam Dube whacks it over wide long on for a biggie.

Vaibhav Arora to Shivam Dube, Wide! Arora sticks to the wide yorker ploy from around the wicket, Shivam Dube reaches out and throws his hands at the delivery but misses. KKR go for the review again. This time, no part of the ball is within the tramline. It will stay as a wide.

Vaibhav Arora to Shivam Dube, Vaibhav Arora goes for the wide yorker but the ball goes just beyond the tramline. Shivam Dube lets it be. Ajinkya Rahane asks the keeper and sends it upstairs in the hope of overturning the wide call. A tiny portion of the ball is within the guideline. The decision is overturned. DOT!

Vaibhav Arora to MS Dhoni, At 125 kph, on a back of a length, around off, MS Dhoni stays leg side of the ball and cuts it to deep point for a single.

Vaibhav Arora to bowl the crucial penultimate over. Remember, he went for 30 in his previous over. Can he redeem himself?

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, A dot to end the over! Just 4 runs off the over. Good stuff from Andre Russell. Low full toss, on middle, Shivam Dube whips it firmly but can't get it past Ajinkya Rahane at mid-wicket. CSK need 18 runs from 12 balls.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, On off, MS Dhoni takes it on the full and works it to long off for another single.

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, An attempted yorker that comes out as a low full toss, on middle, Shivam Dube knocks it to long on for a run.

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, Dube will feel that he missed out here! A juicy low full toss, angling across, Shivam Dube firms the drive but picks out the man at extra cover.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, Low full toss, on off, MS Dhoni opts to ease it along the ground to long on for one more.

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, Andre Russell executes the yorker right in the blockhole, on middle, Shivam Dube squeezes it out on the off side and takes a single.

Harshit Rana to MS Dhoni, Full and attacking the stumps, MS Dhoni is a bit late on the drive and gets an inside edge onto the left boot. 11 runs off the over, more than what the required rate is for CSK at the moment. They now need 22 runs in 3 overs.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, At pace now, low full toss, on middle, Shivam Dube wrists it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, SIX Clean strike! Rana goes with the off-pace delivery but gets the length wrong. Right in the slot, on off, Shivam Dube stays deep in the crease, winds up and pummels it over long on for a six.

Harshit Rana to MS Dhoni, There's that off-cutter from Rana, on the fuller side, around off, MS Dhoni waits on it and guides it to the left of backward point for one more.

Harshit Rana to MS Dhoni, Wide! Banged in short but this slips beyond the tramline on off. MS Dhoni reaches out but fails to lay any bat on it. Rana checks with the keeper and Gurbaz is not quite sure. KKR do not go for the review.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, Bowled from wide of the crease on the around-the-wicket angle, on a length, on middle, Dube clips it to the left of long on and looks for two but Angkrish Raghuvanshi is quick to get to the ball and keeps the batters down to one.

Harshit Rana to MS Dhoni, Full and straight, honing in at the stumps, MS Dhoni presents a straight bat and drives it to long off for a single.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, Pitched up, on off, MS Dhoni presses forward and plays it to long off for a single.

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, Full and on the pads, flicked through mid-wicket for one by Dube.

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, FOUR! Nicely done! Banged in short by Dre Russ, on middle, Shivam Dube swivels and rolls his wrists over the ball. Plays the pull in a controlled fashion to the right of deep backward square leg for a boundary.

Andre Russell to Shivam Dube, Excellent effort! Andre Russell gets the yorker in, on off, Shivam Dube glides it away with an open bat face to the non-dominant right side of Anukul Roy at backward point. Roy does well to put the dive in and make the stop.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, Takes pace off and goes into the wicket, around off, MS Dhoni pats it in front of extra cover for a single.

Andre Russell to MS Dhoni, Dre Russ beats the bat straight away! On a length, outside off, MS Dhoni does not move his feet at all and just goes for the drive with his hands. Gets beaten on the inside edge.

Strategic Break! Right then, 40 needed off 30 balls and 9 out of 10 times, you would bet your money on the batting side. However, CSK are 6 down and KKR will know that one more wicket before it's too late and this game could end up being a very close one. Can MSD use all of his experience to take his side home? Or will KKR's bowlers manage to pinch a couple of crucial points for their side? Let's find out... With that said, Andre Russell comes in to bowl his first over of the game.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, Good comeback from Rana! Nails the yorker at pace at the base of the off stump, Shivam Dube stays leg side of the ball and jams it out on the off side.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, SIX! Dube goes big! Rana comes from around the wicket, on off, on a length and lands the off-cutter, Shivam Dube gives himself a bit of room and tonks it over long off for a biggie.

Harshit Rana to MS Dhoni, Slower one and the length is full, on off, MSD pushes it to long off and crosses over.

Harshit Rana to MS Dhoni, On off, on a short of a length, MS Dhoni steers it straight to backward point.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, Another off-pace delivery, on a good length, outside off, eased to deep cover for one.

Harshit Rana to Shivam Dube, Starts with an off-cutter from around the wicket, on a length, on off, Shivam Dube is a bit early on the drive and plays it to cover.