In the third match of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by four wickets at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
CSK won the toss and chose to field first, which paid off quickly. The hosts had a great start, removing Rohit Sharma for a duck. By the end of the powerplay, CSK had taken three wickets, putting MI on the back foot. On a sluggish Chennai pitch, Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed bowled well, reducing MI to a modest score of 155/9 in 20 overs.
Rachin Ravindra (65*) anchored the chase with a magnificent knock, scoring an important half-century. While his opening partner, Rahul Tripathi, was removed early, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (53) took over and played an aggressive knock. Gaikwad scored his fifty in just 26 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes. After Gaikwad’s departure, CSK lost a couple more wickets, but Rachin stood steady from one end, remaining undefeated and leading his team to a comfortable victory. The Chepauk audience was also treated to the uncommon spectacle of MS Dhoni stepping out to bat in the last over, which added to the thrill of the triumph.
Tilak Varma (31) was MI’s leading run scorer, with Suryakumar Yadav (28) also contributing a few runs. On a slow pitch, a partnership at the outset was essential, but CSK never provided that opportunity, as they kept taking wickets at regular intervals.
For CSK with the ball in the first inning, Noor Ahmad scalped four wickets and just gave away 18 runs. Three wickets were also taken by Khaleel Ahmed, while one wicket each was grabbed by Nathan Ellis and Ravichandran Ashwin.
While defending the target, newcomer Vignesh Puthur delivered a fantastic effort, taking three wickets. However, MS Dhoni’s genuine pat on the back will certainly remain a cherished memory for Puthur for years to come. Deepak Chahar and Will Jacks each took one wicket to help CSK secure the victory.
Noor Ahmad was adjudged POTM for this excellent contribution with the ball. With this win, CSK have grabbed their first two points of the season.
Scorecard:
Mumbai Indians: 155/9, Overs 20, Tilak Varma 31, Noor Ahmad 4/18
Chennai Super Kings: 158/6, Overs 19.1, Rachin Ravindra 65*, Vignesh Puthur 3/32