Dwayne Bravo scored 68 off 30 balls. (Source: PTI)
Chennai Super Kings clinched a win by one wicket in a nail-biting encounter against defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opener at Wankhede Stadium. Chasing a stiff target of 166 runs, CSK were once struggling at 118/8 when Dwayne Bravo took the onus on himself and hammered the Mumbai bowlers all over the park. He scored 68 off 30 deliveries.
Bravo got out on the last ball of the penultimate over and CSK still needed 7 runs in the last over. Kedar Jadhav who had returned to the dugout after getting injured came out to bat and struck an important six on the fourth delivery of the last over to make it one required off two balls. Jadhav then scored a boundary to take CSK over the line with one ball to spare. Earlier, Mumbai Indians after being put into bat scored 165/4 in allotted 20 overs.
The hosts didn’t start off well and lost the openers including skipper Rohit Sharma early but wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with the important partnership of 78 runs for the third wicket. Ishan struck 40 while Yadav notched up 43. Later, Pandya brothers too hammered the CSK bowlers to stitch an unbeaten stand of 42 runs for the fifth wicket. Here’s what pundits have to say about this brilliant performance from CSK and especially Bravo.
Mumbai Indians throw up another outstanding young Indian talent . They had Bumrah and the Pandya brothers before most had heard of them and now Markande. Great for the game. #MIvCSK
β Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) 7 April 2018
Aakash Chopra said, “Bravo…youβre indeed a Champion. Take a bow πββοΈ #MIvCSK #IPL”
Bravo…youβre indeed a Champion. Take a bow πββοΈ #MIvCSK #IPL
β Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) 7 April 2018
Pragyan Ojha wrote, “Thatβs what @IPL offers to itβs viewers. Best death bowler gets hammered and a young boy becomes a superstar. Things change too fast. You blink your eyes and you are late… wow! #MIvCSK #VivoIPL2018 #BESTvsBEST.”
Thatβs what @IPL offers to itβs viewers. Best death bowler gets hammered and a young boy becomes a superstar. Things change too fast. You blink your eyes and you are late… wow! #MIvCSK #VivoIPL2018 #BESTvsBEST
β Prragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) 7 April 2018
Andrew Tye wrote, “Wow what a game to start the @IPL #IPL #MIvCSK”
Wow what a game to start the @IPL #IPL #MIvCSK
β Andrew Tye (@aj191) 7 April 2018
Zaheer Khan wrote, “#MARKANDE has certainly answered the questions on Mumbai Indians spin department with his match winning debut …. another leggie making an impact in this format #MIvCSK #IPL2018”
#MARKANDE has certainly answered the questions on Mumbai Indians spin department with his match winning debut …. another leggie making an impact in this format #MIvCSK #IPL2018
β zaheer khan (@ImZaheer) 7 April 2018
VVS Laxman wrote, “Dwayne Bravo outstanding with the ball in his last two overs and some great hitting in the end. Great come from behind win. IPL couldn’t have had a better start #MIvCSK”
Dwayne Bravo outstanding with the ball in his last two overs and some great hitting in the end. Great come from behind win. IPL couldn’t have had a better start #MIvCSK
β VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) 7 April 2018
Badrinath wrote, “@DJBravo47 coming to the party big time and saving the day for @ChennaiIPL with some excellent six hitting ,but not to forget the crucial 18th and 20th overs he bowled for very less.. #champion #IPL2018 #MIvsCSK #BESTvsBEST #BadriBytes”
@DJBravo47 coming to the party big time and saving the day for @ChennaiIPL with some excellent six hitting ,but not to forget the crucial 18th and 20th overs he bowled for very less.. #champion #IPL2018 #MIvsCSK #BESTvsBEST #BadriBytes
β subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) 7 April 2018
Michael Vaughan hailed “champion” Bravo and said, “Bravo #Champion #IPL #India …”
β Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) 7 April 2018
Mithali Raj appreciated CSK’s comeback in the match, “Alright!!!! Now THAT is cricket for you! What a game! Could you have called it?!! #CSK Bouncing back & how! #CSKvsMI #WhistlePodu @ChennaiIPL @msdhoni ππ»ππ»ππ»”
Alright!!!! Now THAT is cricket for you! What a game! Could you have called it?!! #CSK Bouncing back & how! #CSKvsMI #WhistlePodu @ChennaiIPL @msdhoni ππ»ππ»ππ»
β Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) 7 April 2018