Deepak Chahar (3/26) and Imran Tahir (2/23) starred with the ball as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) restricted Mumbai Indians (MI) to 149/8 in 20 overs in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Sunday, even as Kieron Pollard hit an unbeaten cameo (41* off 25) down the order.
But Pollard hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons in the last over when as a mark of protest against the umpire not calling a wide in the previous delivery, he walked across -- even leaving the pitch -- to face the fourth ball before Dwayne Bravo pulled out.
Opting to bat, Mumbai openers Quinton de Kock (29 off 17) and Rohit Sharma (15 off 14) started cautiously, scoring just two runs in the first over. The duo, however, swiftly changed gears as de Kock clobbered Deepak Chahar for 20 runs in the third over and kept playing aggressively as Mumbai raced to 45 for no loss in 4.4 overs.
Shardul finally drew the first blood as he packed back a dangerous looking de KOck in the very next ball. Three balls later, Deepak Chahar struck to send back Rohit. A slower delivery from the pacer did the trick as a thick edge off Rohit's bat was taken easily by M.S. Dhoni behind the stumps.
Suryakumar Yadav (15 off 17) and Ishan Kishan (23 off 26) then tried to repair the damage, adding 37 runs for the third wicket in the next six overs. But leg-spinner Imran Tahir struck to dismiss Suryakumar in the 12th over before Shardul also joined the party, dismissing new batsman Krunal Pandya (7 off 7) cheaply, which saw Mumbai reeling at 89/4.
Just when Mumbai touched the three-digit mark, Tahir struck again as he accounted for the wicket of Kishan in the 15th over. Pollard and Hardik Pandya then shared a 39-run partnership in quick time as the former's lusty blows propelled his side towards a modest total. However, while trying to accelerate the run-rate, Pandya became a victim of Deepak Chahar in the second last over.
Just a ball later, Deepak Chahar dismissed his brother Rahul Chahar, who didn't bother the scorers. From there Pollard could manage to add just nine runs to Mumbai's total, as his side somehow managed to post a fighting total.
Brief scores: Mumbai Indians: 149/8 in 20 overs (Kieron Pollard 41 not out, Quinton de Kock 29; Deepak Chahar 3/26, Imran Tahir 2/23) vs Chennai Super Kings.
--IANS
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