Navi Mumbai, June 02, 2008  - Yusuf Pathan's phenomenal all-round act helped Rajasthan Royals win the Indian Premier League 2008 in a thrilling last-ball finish against Chennai Super Kings.

After an absorbing 44-day period, the outcome of the tournament was fittingly decided off the last possible ball, as Rajasthan chased 164. You couldn't chose between two teams in a last-ball finish. MS Dhoni had had a phenomenal run in these last over finishes but his luck ran out on Sunday night at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium.

With one run needed off the last ball, on strike was Sohail Tanvir, Rajasthan's best bowler in the IPL, and his captain Shane Warne. Laxmipathy Balaji had the ball; he banged it in and Tanvir pulled it past mid-on for four. The Royals, who were everyone's underdogs in the beginning, won by three wickets to wrap up a remarkable campaign.

Yusuf Pathan the hero

In what must be one of the finest all-round performances in recent times, Pathan turned the match on its head twice --- first with the ball, then with the bat.

Chennai were off to an assuring start. Parthiv Patel and S. Vidyut added 39 for the first wicket when Pathan struck. In fact, he went on to take the first three wickets, bowling his stump-to-stump spin.

Then, with Rajasthan under the burner at 42-3 Pathan struck a characteristically brutal 56 (39 balls, 3 fours, 4 sixes) to bring his team at the doorsteps of a famous win. When Yusuf was run out by a blinding direct hit from point by Suresh Raina, the Royals needed 21 from 14 balls. More: