In the opening match of IPL 2018 which was between the hosts Mumbai Indians (MI) and the visitors Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), CSK clinched a stunning victory after Dwayne Bravo’s heroic 68-runs knock off 30 balls.
CSK decided to bowl first after winning the toss. While MI managed to put 165/4 (20 overs) on the board, CSK secured the victory by 1 wicket with the only ball to spare despite they were once 119/8 in 17 overs.
At the final moment, Dwayne Bravo slammed the bowlers in all-over the place while injured Kedar Jadhav returned on the pitch and finished his job by securing a victory for CSK.
Also read: Turning Point of the Match
Now, we will look at some important reasons for MI’s defeat.
Paid the price for not taking the review in the correct time: It was the 6.5 overs of CSK innings when the new batsman Kedar Jadhav survived from an lbw appeal. The hosts’ players shouted for lbw but umpire turned down that. Soon after, MI skipper Rohit Sharma asked the bowler Mayank Markande but he was not sure so Rohit didn’t take that existing review.
Later, the ball-tracking suggested that the ball would clearly hit the leg-stump so that review would favour the hosts.
Though they successfully used that review during MS Dhoni’s dismissal, Jadhav’s wicket proved crucial for this game.
In the end, that Kedar Jadhav successfully finished that game for CSK despite having the hamstring injury. CSK won the match by 1 wicket with the only ball to spare while injured Jadhav was batting on 24 runs.
Also watch: Markande foxes MS Dhoni on 5
Prime pacers failed in their final overs: MI was on top before the beginning of the 18th over of CSK’s innings. CSK needed 47 runs in 18 balls with only two wickets in hands (including retired-hurt Kedar Jadhav). CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo single-handedly changed the game with his bat by scoring 68 runs off 30 balls.
Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah and Mustafizur Rahman bowled the last three respective overs where they conceded 20, 20 and 10 runs. After McClenaghan and Bumrah’s overs, CSK only needed 7 runs in the final over and they had the only wicket where injured Kedar Jadhav was batting with Imran Tahir.
In the final over, which was bowled by Mustafizur, Jadhav played dot balls in the first three deliveries and then he hit a superb six and a four to finish the game for his side.
Batsmen failed to provide big innings: None of MI batsmen produced a big innings in this innings. After the early openers depart, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav provided a much important 78-runs partnership for the third wicket. When they were looking set on the crease and needed to take the responsibility to carry the innings till the end, they lost their wickets.
Both batsmen failed to complete their half-centuries as Ishan was dismissed on 40 runs (29 balls) and Suryakumar was out on 43 runs (29 balls).
Pandya brothers, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya tried hard to score as much as possible in the final overs but they were inconsistent in that role which can be treated in the better way by a set batsman.
