DC vs KKR, Qualifier 2 at Sharjah, IPL, Oct 13 2021 - Match Result

And on that note, it's time for us to say goodbye. What a game, what a night. Hope to have your company come Friday for CSK v KKR. Until then, this is Himanshu Agrawal, Shashank Kishore and Venkat Raghav saying goodbye. Cheers everyone. Enjoy the festivities, do stay safe and vaccinate yourself as soon as you can.

Time for the post-match presentations even as Pant and Ponting continue to have a serious, serious discussion just outside the dressing room.

Eoin Morgan: "Should've been a lot easier after the start we got, Venky and Gill set us the platform. Dew came in and all, but hey, we're in the final and we're delighted to get over the line. Would've loved to win convincingly but Capitals are a very good side. Six off two, the odds were probably in favour of the bowling side, but Rahul Tripathi has done superbly well for us. It's a nice insight into our team culture - the young guys coming in feel free to express themselves. The backroom staff have created an environment for them to do this. With the squad we have, there's expectation. Hopefully we can implement all that we've strategised. Venky Iyer idea [his elevation] came from the coach, my god, he's a terrific player. Made the chase easy, looks like he was batting on a different wicket. We would like to keep going, playing against CSK, one of the best franchises in IPL history. Anything can happen."

Venkatesh Iyer is Player of the Match for his 55 off 41 balls. "Doing what has been asked of me, extremely happy to have won the game. There's no difference [domestic] to IPL, have come here and play the way I wanted to play. Happy that the management allowed me to the freedom to play the way I do. For the past couple of games, I was restricting myself, trying to bat till the end, but I realised that wasn't me. I wanted to revert to the way I've been playing. I'm not thinking about the Indian team, have one more game and want to stay fully focused on that."

10pm Phew! What a finish. And just like in 2012, the Chennai Super Kings will face off against KKR. A side that is known to make finals for fun against a side that has never lost a final. What a game we have coming up on Friday.

Tripathi after that match-winning six: "It feels great. The win was very important. One or tough overs, and it would so deep we never thought. The 18th over was a great over by Rabada. I had to just connect one, and luckily I connected today, so I am very happy. The communication with Lockie was that if there is a possible two, then we will run it. It was difficult once you go in. Straightaway to get those boundaries was difficult. The ball was keeping a little low. After the first phase, we were a little down. We were always looking for positive options."

Kiran Kadam : "Rishabh Pant was visibly emotional after last match. Today he'll be shattered!!" --- But he should be proud to have carried his team this far.

Pant after a hurting loss: "Can't change anything after the match. Always we kept on believing, and stayed in the game for as long as possible. The bowlers pulled it back. They bowled really well through the middle overs. We were stuck, and unable to rotate the strike. Hopefully we can come back net year for a stronger season. We played really good cricket throughout the season. We stuck together, and cared for each other. Hopefully we will improve next year and come back strongly."

Ponting lurking around the park to ensure his players are not in the worst of moods. Avesh and Nortje with a dull face in the dugout.

Chandan: "Match of the Tournament Without a doubt!!"

Swapnil : "So no new champion, huh"

Nimesh Roshen: "A SIX FOR THE HAT-TRICK BALL "

9.43pm What a game! Even Ponting can't help but offer half a smile. And we can breathe now. Capitals fought tooth and nail despite posting just 135, and had their opponents under the wood for a good while in the death overs.

Ashwin from over the wicket, but to Tripathi. Hat-trick ball.

Ferguson is the new man.

James : "Did someone say "twists" earlier?"

Ashwin from around the wicket, but Pant first adjusts the field.

6 to get off 3. Will Narine aim for the boundary?

Pant and Ashwin in a chat...

Narine now... Phew!

Moin: "Drama!"

Shakib is the new batter. Ashwin around the stumps.

Capitals taking their time here. Shakib looks around the field too.

Ashwin to Tripathi. Over the wicket.

7 required off 6.

NJ: "Only if Iyer did not misfield or Ashwin dit not drop catch"

SARFAS SACHU: "If only there was few more runs to defend" --- Only if...

7 off 8...

Nortje to come from over the wicket.

Morgan, the new batter, on strike. He has been short of runs of late.

Manu: "What an over Rabada!!!"

Nortje over the wicket

Ummm, some late drama maybe?

10 required off 12.

Remains over the stumps to Karthik

Rabada now over the wicket

Pari: "With Narine still in hut , it's just a matter of two balls."

Karthik in now. Avesh stays over the wicket.