Chennai Super Kings Show Class and Consistency, Enter IPL Final for the Sixth Time

Chennai Super Kings team is defined by its calm and consistent performance. It was on ample display once again on Saturday as the side defeated Royal Challangers Bangalore by three wickets in the second qualifier of IPL 2015 to enter the final of the tournament for the sixth time. (Match report | Scorecard)

The two-time champions chased down 139 with a ball to spare to register their third win against Bangalore in the ongoing edition of the IPL. Victory may have come with only one ball to spare but the win itself was enough to underline just why the MS Dhoni-led side is the most feared in every edition of the tournament. Bangalore, in particular, have even more to be scared about from the side after their most recent defeat.

Chennai have now won 12 and lost just seven matches played against Bangalore in all editions of the tournament. The winning percentage of 63.15 is the highest for any team against any other single opposition.

A team with the right mix of individual performers who combine well as a unit, Chennai topped the league stages this year. The side lost qualifier 1 to Mumbai Indians but have now gained momentum back. With the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin - first bowler with 90 wickets for Chennai - and Dwayne Bravo - the highest wicket-taker this season with 24 scalps, the team would hope to go past Mumbai Indians this time and seal their third IPL title.

Following are more stats from the Chennai vs Bangalore match:

# Three players have amassed 500 runs or more in an IPL season three times = Suresh Raina (2010, 2013 & 2014), Chris Gayle (2011, 2012 & 2013) and Virat Kohli - 634 in 2013; 557 in 2011 and 505 in 2015.

# Suresh Raina has extended his IPL record with 73 catches as a fielder.

# Ashish Nehra got his fifth Man of the Match award in the IPL. For the first time, he has received three MOM awards in a single IPL season - one each vs Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

# Nehra has bagged 22 wickets at an average of 18.54 in 15 matches - his best IPL performance in a season.

# Suresh Raina has recorded his seventh duck - the most by a Chennai batsman in the IPL.

# Michael Hussey (56 off 40 balls) has posted his 15th fifty in the IPL - his 16th innings of fifty-plus in the IPL, including a hundred.

# During his aforesaid innings, Hussey has completed 4000 runs in Twenty20 - 4051 at an average of 38.21 in 139 matches.He is the 28th batsman to complete 4000 runs or more in Twenty20.

(Stats by Rajesh Kumar)