In the inaugural match of the Vivo IPL 2018, Chennai Super Kings managed to restrict the home team Mumbai Indians for 165/4 runs in the first innings at the jam-packed Wankhede stadium. Surya Kumar Yadav top-scored for Mumbai by smashing 43 runs in 29 balls with six fours and one six after a sluggish start in the initial swinging conditions. Chennai needs 166 runs to start off on the winning note.
Mumbai Indians backing their strength of fast bowling and heavy batting prepared a greenish track, a trick that backfired in the initial overs. CSK opted for Watson to suit the swinging conditions and left out Murali Vijay and Shardul Thakur. Mumbai chose Mayank Markande instead of Rahul Chahar.
Opening the batting for Mumbai Indians, the Captain Rohit Sharma looked quite unsure and shaken. Playing on his home track, he struggled to connect for the first three balls. He managed to hit a four on the next ball but it was not convincing. Deepak Chahar‘s first over of five runs set the tone.
Shane Watson pitched the ball perfect lengths and received generous benefits. The experienced Aussie kept the Indians openers under pressure by giving only 2 runs in the over. The pressure paid off as Chahar trapped Evin Lewis on the very first ball of his second over. First-ever DRS ruled in favor of the umpire and Lewis had to go back without a run in his debut innings.
The major blow was struck in the next over as Shane Watson induced Rohit to play a false shot. Ambati Rayudu settled under a skier edged by Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians now found themselves at 22/2 by end of the fourth over.
The direction of the match slowly started turning towards the men in blue once again as Ishan Kishan and Mumbaikar Surya Kumar Yadav started timing the ball sweetly. Ishan Kishan welcomed Imran Tahir in the 11th over with 14 runs off his first three balls. The momentum was carried by Yadav further by scoring 14 runs in the next over of Mark Wood.
The dent was struck by Shane Watson who dismissed Surya Kumar Yadav. Tahir gobbled up Ishan Kishan next, setting the stage for Pandya brothers to dazzle in front of the 35,000 in attendance at the Wankhede. Both took their chances in scoring boundaries and kept stealing runs through the aging fielding of CSK.
The death overs were really interesting as the Pandya brothers had to face the challenge of Dwayne Bravo who is the top wicket-taker in the T20 World. The duo could score only three of Bravo’s 18th over but they made up for it in the next over bowled by Mark Wood by taking 17 runs of it. The last over by Bravo was another example of his amazing death bowling skills, he gave away only five runs.
Mumbai have scored 165/4, now it’s upto the Chennai batting line-up to chase the target against Mumbai star-studded bowling attack.
