The IPL 2021 is up and running once again in the UAE. Defending champion Mumbai Indians took on former champion Chennai Super Kings in an intense clash in Dubai.
On Sunday, Mumbai Indians succumbed against Chennai Super Kings in Match 30 of the Indian Premier League 2021 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad played an enthralling knock of an unbeaten 88, while pacer Dwayne Bravo's three-for led to MI's downfall.
Winning the toss, CSK skipper MS Dhoni elected to bat first. Meanwhile, MI moved in without regular skipper Rohit Sharma, as Kieron Pollard stepped in for him, while the side was without all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
CSK was off to the worst possible start, losing four wickets within the powerplay. It began with Faf du Plessis (0) in the opening over, followed by Moeen Ali (0) in the second, Suresh Raina (4) in the third and Dhoni (3) in the sixth.
However, the pair of Gaikwad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja contributed to an 81-run stand for the fifth wicket. Nevertheless, in the 17th over, the latter fell for 26 to pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was playing his 100th IPL tie.
At this time, Gaikwad brought up his sixth IPL half-century, while along with all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, a 39-run stand was put up for the sixth wicket before the latter departed for 23 to Bumrah in the final over.
As for MI, six bowlers were utilised. It was a consolidated effort from pacers Trent Boult, Adam Milne and Bumrah, claiming a couple of wickets each.
Chasing 157, MI, too, was off to a shaky start, losing three wickets within the powerplay. While Quinton de Kock (17) was first to depart, he was followed by Anmolpreet Singh (16) and Suryakumar Yadav (3), as the score read 37/3 by the powerplay.
At 58, wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan fell for 11 to Bravo in the tenth over. At the same time, Pollard departed 29 runs later for 15 to pacer Josh Hazlewood in the 14th over, and all-rounder Krunal Pandya fell for just four off an unfortunate run out at 94 in the 15th over.
With CSK bowlers getting regular breakthroughs, pressure mounted on MI. However, Saurabh Tiwary and Milne contributed 40 runs for the seventh wicket before the latter fell for 15 to Bravo in the 20th.
Although Tiwary scored his eighth IPL half-century, it was to no avail as Rahul Chahar departed for an unfortunate duck to Bravo again in the final over. At the end of the 20th over, MI managed 136/8, losing the tie by 20 runs.
For CSK, six bowlers were put into the attack. While Bravo was the most successful with three scalps, Chahar was the most economical.
Brief scores: CSK 156/6 (Gaikwad- 82; Milne- 2/21) defeats MI 136/8 (Tiwary- 50*; Bravo- 3/25) by 20 runs.
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