Set a target of 180, CSK's chase faltered early as they lost five wickets inside the powerplay, reducing them to 62 for five. But Brevis turned the game on its head with a remarkable assault on Vaibhav Arora, smashing 30 runs off one over, including three sixes and three fours. His explosive 52 off 22 balls shifted momentum, leaving KKR's playoff hopes hanging by a thread.
KKR, batting first, had posted a competitive 179 for six, with key contributions from Ajinkya Rahane (48) and Andre Russell (38). They had also restricted CSK's progress early, with Noor Ahmad's 4-31 helping reduce them to 62 for 5. At this point, KKR were firm favorites, but Brevis' blitz levelled the playing field, giving CSK a solid chance.
Though Brevis fell to Varun Chakravarthy, the game remained in the balance. MS Dhoni, taking his time, and Shivam Dube (45 off 28) kept CSK in the hunt, with Dube's clinical hitting bringing them closer. The equation boiled down to 10 off nine balls when Dube fell, and the match was still on a knife's edge.
In the final over, Dhoni played a cool hand, smashing a six off Andre Russell on the first ball. Despite a late twist, Anshul Kamboj struck the winning shot, chipping the ball over mid-on to seal CSK's dramatic victory.
For KKR, this defeat leaves their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. They must win their remaining two games and hope for other results to go their way, while CSK celebrate a vital win that snapped a 12-match losing streak in chases of 180 plus.
Dewald Brevis has been ruled out of the Proteas' three-match ODI series in Pakistan, that starts in Faisalabad on Tuesday, after suffering a low-grade shoulder muscle strain.
Former India player Abhishek Nayar has been appointed head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
In a major coup for the Big Bash League, Sydney Thunder have signed former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on a two-year deal.
Dewald Brevis says he is keen to start a new chapter in his hometown after becoming the most expensive player in SA20 history after being bought by Pretoria Capitals for R16.5 million at the player auction.
