Chennai Super Kings won the toss and chose to bat at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium Chennai on Tuesday. Hayden and Murli Vijai opened the innings and Vijai was bowled by Harbhajan Singh. Mathew Hayden was expected to lead the fireworks but he could not found the boundries repeatedly and was going on with one’s and two’s. However, the runs came in the fifth over, when Hayden hit Bravo for ten runs. He later perished after scoring 35 runs.
Their 50 came in 6.5 overs and Chennai Super Kings were 53 for 1. Raina played some cuts through the slip cordon but the Mumbai fielding was spot on. Raina hit the first six of the innings but later his possible were converted into singles due to good fielding. He tried another lofted shot but was caught by Dhawan b Bravo and it was 69 – 2.
The track was slow and it took time for the ball to come on the bat; scoring was difficult so also they lost two quick wickets. After the 16th over Chennai Super Kings were 128 for 4 and it was expected that sixes and boundaries would rain in the finishing overs. But it was not to be.
The last 5 overs yielded only 33 runs. Saurabh Tewary, who otherwise has safe pair of hands, dropped a regulation catch from Hussey in the deep mid-wicket area. The Chennai Super Kings folded their innings at 165 for the loss of four wickets.
Murlitharan was dropped and Hussey and Thussara were inducted in the playing XI as Morkel was declared unfit. Zaheer Khan was unfit and his inclusion in the playing XI was ruled out.
Mumbai Indians replied as usual with Sachin Tendulkar and Shikhar Dhawan opening the innings. They gave a solid start to their side and their partnership was broken after they coonsolidated a partnership of 45 runs and Shikhar Dhawan was out as he edged Thusara’s ball onto his stumps. Soon thereafter, Tendulkar retired as he was dehydrated.
After Sachin’s departure the Mumbai Indian could not score runs and lost wickets at regular intervals, at least one wicket in every over. None of the batsmen seemed to apply himself to the task at hand. Satish was run out , McLaren was out lbw to Ashwin. When Sachin Tendulkar came back to bat Mumbai Indians were in dire straits at 97 for 7. Jakati bowled well and took the wickets of Pollard and Tewary.
By then dew had also started falling and the ball started slipping from the hands of the bowlers as well as the fielders. Tushara faulted twice as he ‘threw’ the ball above waist high towards two batsmen and was disallowed to ball any further by umpire Daryll Harper. Harbhajan played a cameo of an innings and at the teams score of 120 for 8, he hit two sixes consecutively.
Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 24 runs and this was their third straight win in the tournament.
The award for the maximum sixes went to Harbhajan Singh.
The Karbonn Kamaal Catch went to Murli Vijai.
The Man of the match was awarded to Suresh Raina.
Ravi Matah.