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Piyush Chawla Retires: The Man Who Delivered KKR’s Greatest Triumph In IPL 2014

Kaushik Kashyap

Piyush Chawla after winning IPL 2014. [Source - Crick_logist/x.com]Piyush Chawla after winning IPL 2014. [Source - Crick_logist/x.com]

In a significant development, Piyush Chawla has officially announced his retirement from all forms of the game. The star-leg spinner took to his social media account and brought down the curtain to his illustrious cricket chapter on Friday.

While Chawla was part of historic victories like India’s triumphs in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, it is perhaps his unforgettable heroics in the 2014 Indian Premier League final that will forever etch his name into the hearts of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fans.

Chawla’s Last-Over Heroics Sealed KKR’s Second IPL Crown

Piyush Chawla and Robin Uthappa after IPL 2014 Glory. [Source - Abhinavat_07/x.com]Piyush Chawla and Robin Uthappa after IPL 2014 Glory. [Source - Abhinavat_07/x.com]

In what was a high-stakes evening at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, KKR were chasing a daunting 200-run target against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and didn't have the best of starts.

The match looked to be slipping out of their hands early on, with both openers, Orange Cap holder Robin Uthappa and captain Gautam Gambhir, dismissed within the powerplay. However, Manish Pandey, who came out at three, rose to the occasion, playing a scintillating knock of 94 runs.

Pandey kept KKR in the hunt, with crucial support from Yusuf Pathan. But the table turned once again towards Kings XI when the Knight Riders started to lose wickets in a bunch. Pandey fell at the end of the 17th over as well, leaving KKR needing 21 runs off the last 18 balls.

Moreover, tight overs from Axar Patel and Mitchell Johnson increased the pressure, but then stepped in Piyush Chawla, coming in at number eight, who did the unthinkable with a fearless approach.

Chawla’s Six Off Mitchell Johnson That Defined KKR’s Glory

Piyush Chawla. [Source - Piyushchawla_official/Instagram]Piyush Chawla. [Source - Piyushchawla_official/Instagram]

In what was going to be the perfect penultimate over from Johnson, Chawla hit the final delivery of a crucial six, narrowing the equation to five off six balls. The ball was on KKR’s court and with tension peaking, Chawla held his nerve, slicing a low full toss from Parvinder Awana over point for the winning boundary on the third ball of the last over.

Chawla became the immediate hero for the Men in Purple as his unbeaten 13 off just 5 balls snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, sealing KKR’s second IPL title after their maiden silverware in 2012. They chased down the 200-run total with three balls remaining, setting the record for the highest successful chase in an IPL final which is still unbroken.

Chawla Sends Maxwell Packing in the Final

Notably, Chawla’s impact was not limited to the bat as he delivered a key breakthrough by dismissing Glenn Maxwell, the tournament’s most dangerous batter, for a duck, earlier in the first innings.

KKR went on to clinch another title in 2024 under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer but Chawla's combination of composure under pressure and match-turning all-round impact has ensured the leg-spinner a permanent and a top place in KKR folklore.

Coming back to the present, as he bids farewell to cricket, Piyush Chawla will be celebrated not just for his international success, but also for that iconic night in 2014 when he became an unexpected, yet unforgettable, hero for the people of Kolkata.