The Chennai Super Kings experienced their first loss of the IPL 2019 season when they fell 37 runs short of Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, reports ANITHA MADIKIZELA.
Having being inserted to bat first, the Indians’ explosive batting order posted a competitive 170-5 in Mumbai. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (4) struggled to make a mark alongside captain and opening partner Rohit Sharma (13) but Suryakumar Yadav took that as his cue to step up to the plate and post his highest score this season.
The right-handed No 3 top-scored with a well-constructed 59 off 43 deliveries (8×4, 1×6), serving as the anchor for the Mumbai Indians’ innings. His 62-run partnership with Krunal Pandya (42) for the fourth wicket during the middle overs set the home side up for a blistering finish to the innings.
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Hardik Pandya walked to the crease when his older brother Krunal was dismissed and promptly started smashing the ball out of the park. Hardik added momentum to the innings as he smashed one four and three sixes for his 25 not out at a strike rate of 313. West Indies’ powerhouse Kieron Pollard also contributed 17 not out, which included two sixes, much to the delight of the home crowd.
A MASSSIIVVVEEEEE SIX FROM HARDIK TO FINISH!!!!!!!
WANKHEDE HAS GONE MANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #MIvCSK
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 3, 2019
Chennai’s chase started poorly as they lost their top three batsmen with just 34 runs on the board after the powerplay. Jason Behrendorff (2-22) caused most of the damage at the top of the innings as Kedhar Jadhav (58 off 54 balls, 8×4, 1×6) and Indian talisman MS Dhoni (12 off 21 balls) looked to stabilise.
The dismissal of Dhoni seemed to mark the beginning of the end for the Super Kings when Lasith Malinga (3-34) and Hardik Pandya (3-20) began causing havoc in their respective four overs. The home side restricted Chennai to 133-8 in their allotted overs to leave the visitors 37 runs short of the mark.
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IPL action continues on Thursday when the Kagiso Rabada-inspired Delhi Capitals take on the high-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.
Photo: Vipin Pawar/SPORTZPICS/BCCI
