IPL 2018: Dwayne Bravo plays a blinder as Chennai Super Kings stun Mumbai Indians

Ajit Vijaykumar 22:47 07/04/2018
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  • Bravo hit a stunning fifty as Chennai won by one wicket. Image: BCCI.

    The eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League got off to a spectacular start as Chennai Super Kings beat defending champions Mumbai Indians by one wicket with one ball to spare the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

    Chennai all-rounder Dwayne Bravo hit 68 off just 30 deliveries with three boundaries and seven sixes as the Super Kings pulled off an improbable victory.

    The Super Kings were 118 for eight in the 17th over and on the verge of defeat. But Bravo let loose, taking Mitchell McClenaghan (1-44) for two sixes and a four and death over specialist Jasprit Bumrah (1-37) for three sixes to take the Super Kings to the verge of victory.

    Injured batsman Kedar Jadhav then played out three dot balls in the final over from Mustafizur Rahman with seven runs needed before hitting a six and a boundary to seal victory.

    Here are the talking points from the opening game of IPL 2018.

    SURFACE TENSION IN MUMBAI

    The wicket and Wankhede had more than usual covering of grass, which meant fast bowlers got to swing the new ball. Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma was missing deliveries by quite a few inches as Chennai seamer Deepak Chahar and Shane Watson got late movement in the air and off the pitch.

    SPINNERS TAKE PRESSURE OFF

    On a surface perfect for seamers, Chennai fielded three spinners and that turned out to be a poor move. Ishan Kishan hit the first three balls of leg-spinner Imran Tahir for two boundaries and a six in the 11th over. Suryakumar Yadav kept the scoring rate up from his end. He hit six boundaries and a six in his 29-ball 43 as he added 78 runs with Kishan (40).

    KRUNAL TAKES OVER

    Krunal Pandya targeted Chennai’s debutant quick Mark Wood. The seamer went from 0-13 in two overs to 49 in four overs all thanks to the hitting power of Krunal who finished with 41 not out off 22 balls with five boundaries and two sixes. His innings was crucial as his brother Hardik got hit on the foot once and injured it off the last ball of the innings as he struggled to up the scoring.

    CHENNAI FALL APART

    A target of 166 looked challenging but not beyond Chennai. However, Mumbai bowlers were all over Chennai from the start. Injured bowler Hardik removed Watson with a slower one and accounted for Suresh Raina before debutant leg-spinner Mayank Markande (3-23) picked up three wickets off googlies, including that of MS Dhoni. At 118-8, Chennai were down and out.

    BRAVO, SUPER KINGS

    However, West Indies all-rounder Bravo wasn’t done yet. He threw caution to the wind and went after Mumbai’s top seamers McClenaghan and Bumrah. Hitting three sixes off Bumrah was especially audacious as he is one of the best death bowler on the planet. Bravo got out with seven needed but the job was done.

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