This was a rare win of sorts for Mumbai Indians and a much needed too. That, coming against Chennai Super Kings, in the Indian Premier League 2018, will give the side massive confidence going forward. What an occasion for Rohit Sharma’s side in Pune, where they spoilt Chennai’s party. An all-round performance helped MI outclass CSK with skipper Sharma leading the way with a 33-ball 56.
In pursuit of 170 runs, MI staged a brilliant chase with the likes of Suryakumar Yadav (46), Evin Lewis (47) and their skipper with a half-century steering the side to a victory in 19.4 overs. This was CSK’s 2nd loss in seven games and it felt quite like a surprise defeat given their form this season.
Earlier, CSK managed to ride through Suresh Raina’s unbeaten 75 and Ambati Rayudu’s 46 to reach 169/5 in a game where MI bowlers hit back hard to not let them get that extra 15-20 runs. And at the end that made the difference with MI surging past the line in a final two-over blitz.
The Hitman has done it for @mipaltan. An unbeaten 56 from @ImRo45 has handed #MI a crucial 8-wicket win. #CSKvMI #VIVOIPL
Details – https://t.co/BVGc5hwnsB pic.twitter.com/aBs9VmYXSD
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2018
Stat attack
- This was the two sides’ 24th meet in IPL with Mumbai Indians winning 13 and Chennai Super Kings emerging victorious 11 times.
- Rohit Sharma can become the first Asian batsman to hit 300 sixes in T20s. With the two he hit against CSK, sees him stay at 299.
- This was Rohit’s 2nd fifty in IPL 2018.
- In course of Raina’s innings, the maestro hit his 179th six in IPL.
- This Raina’s his 2nd fifty of IPL 2018 and a 33rd overall in the history of the league.
Rohit plays a captain’s knock
Raina’s form a special delight
What can be said about the southpaw, who is the highest scorer in the IPL since more than a decade now? This was vintage Raina innings in Pune. Without him, the Super Kings would have been in dire straits. The six off the final ball of the innings was a top notch entity.
The southpaw brought up his fifty in just 35 deliveries before racing to 75 runs off 47 balls. He shared a commanding 71-run partnership with the in-form Ambati Rayudu and that helped CSK get the scoring going smoothly. Raina made room time and time again to play some rollicking lofted drives. His heaves over mid-wicket and the traditional slog sweep made one feel he is the old Raina of yesteryears.
Raina has carried his form off late into the IPL and it is a special delight.
McClenaghan, Krunal produce quality
The strength of MI this season has been their bowling and the likes of McClenaghan and Krunal Pandya were on the money. Pandya was the chief architect in getting two prized wickets in the form of Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu. Krunal deceived Watson with a slower, loopier delivery and got him out early on.
The all-rounder then ended the partnership between Raina and Rayudu by getting the latter. The Orange Cap holder was well set before an attempted slog-sweep off Krunal did him in. McClenaghan did what he does best. The Kiwi left-arm pacer bowled according to the demands of captain Rohit, who set the field accordingly and he got the dangerous MS Dhoni (26).
A delivery later he got the power-hitting West Indian Dwayne Bravo for a nought. CSK needed some gusto from Bravo, but the clever McClenaghan got MI back into the game.His 2/26 in four overs was a gem.