IPL 2018: 'Champion' Performance by Dwayne Bravo Against Mumbai Indians

It was a dream performance indeed from West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as he smashed 68 off just 30 balls to help Chennai Super Kings to a stunning victory against the Mumbai Indians in the first match of IPL 2018.

Bravo scored 68 of the 84 subsequent runs put on by CSK while he was at the crease (80.95%)

He put on a 41-run stand for the 9th wicket with I Tahir, where he scored 39 runs off 13 balls (contribution: 95.12%), which is the best 9th wicket partnership for CSK and the joint-highest overall.

Coincidentally CSK also had a 41-run stand for the 9th wicket also against MI, during the Final of the 2013 IPL held at Kolkata. The pair that time was MS Dhoni & R Ashwin.

During this knock of 68 runs, he was striking at 226.66, which is the second-best strike rate against MI with minimum 50 runs scored.

This knock of 68 runs is his second-best in IPL:

1. 70* v Kings XI at Centurion,2009
2. 68 v MI at Mumbai,2018
3. 64* v KKR at Kolkata,2008

Additionally, his seven sixes tonight were the 3rd most against MI in the IPL. However, these 7 sixes are the most by an opposition batsman vs MI at The Wankhede in the IPL.

Bravo was exceptional with the ball as well. After leaking 14 runs in his 1st over, he came back strongly, conceding just 11 runs in his last three overs. Importantly, two of these were the 18th and 20th overs, respectively, where he conceded just 8 runs, including 5 off the last over.

Later on, captain MS Dhoni heaped praise on the West Indian, saying, "CSK v Mumbai is one game everyone wants to watch and we are coming back after two years. Overall, the spectators have been very good. The way Bravo batted it was really good to see him take the responsibility."