Dubai: Lasith Malinga proved that he is still a destroyer of innings through a four-wicket spell and gave Mumbai Indians an impressive 46 runs win over Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Though Mumbai could post only 155 for 4 in 20 overs, they restricted Chennai to a paltry 109 runs in 17.4 overs.
Suresh Raina leading Chennai in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is having fever, won the toss and elected to field. Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma played a brilliant captain’s knock of 67 runs off 48 ball with six boundaries and three sixes to emerge as the man of the match.
The second over of the day was eventful with Quinton de Kock hitting Deepak Chahar for a six and boundary of the first two balls. With the fourth ball, Chahar had De Kock out, forcing him to top edge to Ambati Rayudu, who kept wickets in the place of Dhoni, for 15. Evin Lewis, playing his first match after being selected to the West Indies World Cup squad batted smoothly while opener Sharma produced his breathtaking strokes. At the half way mark, Mumbai raced to 84 for 1.
Mitchell Santner ended the 75 runs partnership off 9.3 overs in the 13th overs making Lewis hit to Dwayne Bravo at deep mid-wicket for 32 runs . Sharma reached his half century off 37 balls but his new partner Krunal Pandya lasted only three balls to score one run as he slog swept Imrah Tahir to Santer at deep mid -wicket.
Sharma continued to score freely and put on 21 runs in the next three overs with Hardik Pandya when Sharma hit Santer to Murali Vijay at long on. Chennai checked the run flow soon so much that from the overs 10th to 19th , Mumbai could get only 54 runs despite Hardik and Kieron Pollard at the crease. In the final over, Pandya and Hardik managed to take 17 runs off Bravo.
Chennai lost an early wicket when Lasith Malinga got the dangerous Shane Watson out flicking straight to Rahul Chahar after he had hit two as consecutive boundaries off the second and third deliveries. Murali Vijay on 12 too would have followed but IPL debutant Anukul Roy at point dropped him at point off Malinga. Raina lasted only four balls to score two runs before Hardik had him out caught by Suryakumar at backward point. Krunal clean bowled Ambati Rayudu for a duck and also made Kedar Jadhav play on to his wicket for 6. Chennai slipped to 45 for 4 in 7.2 overs.
Next man Dhruv Shorey lasted only eight balls to score five runs after living dangerously, escaping a run out and caught and bowled . Left-arm spinner Roy got Shorey’s as his maiden wicket. Jaspirt Bumrah ended Murali’s innings of 38 when Suryakumar Yadav pulled off a brilliant diving catch at backward point to push Chennai down to 66 for 6.
Bravo and Santner took the score to 99 when Bravo got caught and bowled by Malinga for 20. From there on Mumbai smoothed comfortably to victory.
Brief scores
Mumbai Indians bt Chennai Super Kings by 46 runs.
Mumbai 155 for 4 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 67, Evin Lewis 32, Hardik Pandya 23n.o, Mitchell Santer 2 for 23).
Chennai 109 in 17.4 overs (Murali Vijay 38, Dwayne Bravo 20, Mitchell Santer 22, Lasith Malinga 4 for 37, Krunal Pandya 2 for 7, Jasprit Bumrah 2 for 10)
Man of the match: Rohit Sharma
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