Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder, Albie Morkel said the 28-run over in CSK’s win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2012 had a massive impact on his career and the franchise. Morkel asserted that he wondered why RCB bowled the Indian skipper at a crunch situation but told himself that he could take the team close to the total if he connected a few.
CSK was chasing a humongous total of 206 after Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli hit the fifties for RCB at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. CSK was is some serious trouble as they lost MS Dhoni who was striking at more than 170 for 41 from 24 balls. The men in yellow required 43 off the last 2 overs when the then RCB skipper, Daniel Vettori handed over the ball to Kohli.
Albie Morkel took Virat Kohli to the cleaners, hitting 3 sixes and 2 boundaries in an over that cost 28 runs. CSK went on to win the match after successfully getting 15 runs in Vinay Kumar’s final over.
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Recalling the victory at Chepauk, Morkel said, “Look, that’s one of those evenings… once again we were out of the game. RCB had the game in their bag… I had no idea why they bowled Virat. All respect to him, he shouldn’t have bowled that over anyway. We lost a wicket in the last ball of the 18th over. We needed 42 (43) off 2. I walked in at No. 7. You look at the scoreboard and you’re like ‘oh no, 40-odd off 2, that’s impossible.”
He further added, “You walk in and then you see Virat’s bowling then I thought ‘if I can connect a few, maybe we can get close’. I started hitting it straight and we eventually got 28 and ended up winning the match with Bravo hitting a couple in the next over. We somehow find ways to beat them like that. We will be out of the game completely and come from nowhere to beat them.”
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Meanwhile, Albie Morkel also recalled his partnership with MS Dhoni in the do-or-die match against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2010. Chasing 193, CSK needed 16 runs off the final over for a place in the semi-final. MS Dhoni finished it off in style, hitting 2 big sixes against Irfan Pathan who bowled the final over for Kings XI Punjab.
Morkel was having the best seat at the stadium as he watched MS Dhoni hit a match-winning 29-ball 54 from the non-striker’s end.
