Chennai Super Kings have qualified for their sixth Indian Premier League final by beating Royal Challengers Bangalore in a last-over thriller this afternoon.
RCB could only manage 139-8 and Chennai got over the line on the penultimate ball, thanks largely to 56 from Michael Hussey, to set up a showdown with Mumbai Indians.
Ashish Nehra dismissed two of Bangalore's destructive top three cheaply as Virat Kohli (12) and AB de Villiers (one) fell early to leave their side on 25-2.
That put the pressure on Chris Gayle, but the West Indian restrained himself to top score with 41 from 43 balls before he was caught and bowled by Suresh Raina.
Four boundaries apiece from Dinesh Karthik (28) and 17-year-old Sarfaraz Khan (31) towards the end of the innings helped to elevate RCB to a defendable total.
Bangalore's teenager gave them a chance, but it was 40-year-old veteran Hussey who would make the key contribution as his perfectly-paced 56 anchored Chennai's reply.
Support came from Dwayne Smith (17), Faf du Plessis (23) and MS Dhoni (26), although Mitchell Starc took two wickets in the 19th over to make things interesting.
Dhoni also fell with three balls to go, but Ravichandran Ashwin hit the winning runs to secure the Super Kings a three-wicket victory which sets up a rematch of the 2013 final.
Joe Fish
