Live Blog - Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings - Pathirana seals defence in Mumbai night
By Sidharth MongaA defensive masterclass
Sensational defensive bowling from Chennai Super Kings did what might have seemed unthinkable: successfully defend a total in the night at Wankhede Stadium. And it was not a huge total: pushed just over 200 by an MS Dhoni cameo off 22 off the last four balls of the innings after Shivam Dube had continued his dream season with an unbeaten 66 off 38. For large parts it was a contest that fit the billing: between the two-most successful teams in the IPL and two of three-most popular teams. For large parts, it seemed the defending champions CSK would be outgunned. Jasprit Bumrah restricted them with four overs for just 27, the MI innings looked like going smoothly, but Matheesha Pathirana started the comeback with two wickets in his first over. Still MI were favourites going into the last seven, needing 83 with eight wickets in hand, but, led by Pathirana, their fast bowlers executed their plans of making batters hit into the bigger part perfectly, eventually winning by 20 runs. Rohit Sharma scored a century but it was only to MI’s detriment: he scored just 17 off 16 in those overs and then found another wind when the task had become mathematically impossible.
Defensive masterclass
Over No. 17
Scenes from the final huddle
Rohit was perhaps talking about the bounce that Deshpande and the pacers are generating from the surface during the timeout. He was gesturing about the balls climbing chest high and then about keeping the pull shot down, and then about pulling balls that are about head high aerially. David, the new batter, Shepherd, Boucher and Hardik paying close attention. CSK had a rather quiet huddle with Fleming giving his inputs. But after they dispersed, Dhoni had a longish chat - about 30 secs - with Pathirana stationed at short third before play resumed.
Pandya's shocker ends
Thakur piles on MIsery
Pathirana has a third
Jadeja 4-0-37-0
Six No. 500 for Rohit Sharma
Rohit gets to fifty
Pathirana drags MI back
Pathirana gets a wicket first ball
MI well on their way
How MS made it worth the entry money
The impatience of the crowd, that is decked more in yellow than blue, grew with every passing ball. Bumrah’s last over, the penultimate of the innings, only made the Wankhede crowd restless. When Mitchell was dismissed, the crowd roared as soon as they saw Dhoni walk down the steps. You struggled to hear others speak even in the press box, that is largely insulated from the outside noise. Three balls, three sixes, safe to say those at the Wankhede got their money’s worth.
CSK start defence with Deshpande and Mustafizur
CSK end up with 206
Mahendra Six Dhoni
MS Dhoni is batting
Has Bumrah bowled another match-winning spell?
Pandya drags MI back
Pandya gets Gaikwad
Fifty for Dube
Go time
Slowdown followed by a drop followed by two sixes
Dube up and running
Bumrah keeps them quiet
Gopal gets Ravindra
Nabi 3-0-19-0
Powerplay goes MI's way
Bowlers keep CSK in check
Rahane falls early
Another reason why Gaikwad might not have opened
Possibly why Gaikwad is not opening
Rahane opens for CSK
Pandya wins the big toss
Impact Players M Pathirana, N Sindhu, M Santner, M Ali, S Rasheed
> Impact Players SA Yadav, D Brewis, N Dhir, N Wadhera, H Desai