Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets in IPL 2020 opener

Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis struck a half-century each to power Chennai Super Kings home in the IPL opener against Mumbai Indians on Saturday. PTI

Expectations can often end in disappointment. But this game defied that notion. The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, which millions of fans anticipated with excitement and curiosity, began on a rousing note.

At the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians – two most successful teams in the short history of the league – stayed true to their reputation of producing close games. Both teams, separated by one run in last year’s final in Hyderabad, once again fought hard till the final over before Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men had the last laugh, winning the match by five wickets.

Mumbai’s stop-start innings saw them reach 162/9, which appeared like a par score on a slow surface. Saurabh Tiwary’s calculated 42 (31b, 3x4, 1x6) held Mumbai’s batting together. The pace duo of Deepak Chahar (2/32) and Lungi Ngidi (3/38), after a nervy start, found its footing in the death overs to deny Mumbai a final push.

IPL 2020 Points Table: CSK lead the standings with win in the opener

Chennai got off to a horrific start with openers Shane Watson (4) and Murali Vijay (1) falling leg before wicket to sharp in-coming deliveries. Seasoned campaigners Ambati Rayudu (71, 48b, 6x4, 3x6) and Faf Du Plessis (58 n.o., 44b, 6x4) joined hands at 6/2 and breathed life into Chennai’s chase with a 115-run stand.

Rayudu was the aggressor of the two, reaching his half-century in 33 balls. It needed Rahul Chahar’s brilliance for Mumbai to see the back of the marauding Rayudu. The right-hander came down the track and sliced one high in the air and the leg-spinner ran backward to hold on to a fine catch.

Both teams were in with a chance but Sam Curran, promoted ahead of Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav, blew Mumbai away with 6-ball 18, hammering two sixes and one four. His wicket was a consolation for Mumbai as Du Plessis, who masterfully played the anchor’s role, took Chennai over the line with a pull for four.

Jasprit Bumrah (1/43), Mumbai’s lead pacer, was out of sorts. With the win, CSK broke their five-match losing streak to Mumbai Indians.

Earlier, right from the moment captains Rohit and Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked in for the toss, the league had uniqueness written all over it. The duo wasn’t greeted with the ear-splitting noise of a packed stadium nor were there any peppy chartbusters being played in the background.

The unusual proceedings reminded us of the times we are living in. Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings’ skipper, saw the lighter side of things in a typical manner. “With social distancing being very important, I want to ask the umpires if we can have a first-slip fielder or not,” joked the veteran at the toss.

The Covid-19 had expectedly forced the IPL organisers to cancel the traditional glitzy opening ceremony. “We welcome the cricket matches the world has been waiting for. Thanks to the science-based protocols, all teams will play safely and confidently,” said Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Emirates Cricket Board chairman, in his welcome speech.

With the league embracing all the changes, it’s time for cricket to enthrall everyone in the coming days.

SCORE BOARD

MUMBAI INDIANS: Rohit Sharma c Curran b Chawla 12 (10b, 2x4), Quinton de Kock Watson b Curran 33 (20b, 5x4), Suryakumar Yadav c Curran b Chahar 17 (16b, 2x4), Sourabh Tiwary c du Plessis b Jadeja 42 (31b, 3x4, 1x6), Hardik Pandya c du Plessis b Jadeja 14 (10, 2x6), Kieron Pollard c Dhoni b Ngidi 18 (14b, 1x4, 1x6), Krunal Pandya c Dhoni b Ngidi 3 (3b), James Pattinson c du Plessis b Ngidi 11 (8b, 2x4), Rahul Chahar (not out) 2 (4b), Trent Boult b Chahar 0 (1b), Jasprit Bumrah (not out) 5 (3b). Extras (LB-1, W-4) 5. Total (for 9 wkts, 20 overs) 162.

Fall of wickets: 1-46 (Rohit), 2-48 (de Kock), 3-92 (SK Yadav), 4-121 (Tiwary), 5-124 (H Pandya), 6-136 (K Pandya), 7-151 (Pollard), 8-156 (Pattinson), 9-156 (Boult).

Bowling: Deepak Chahar 4-0-32-2 (w-1), Sam Curran 4-0-28-1, Lungi Ngidi 4-0-38-3 (w-2), Piyush Chawla 4-0-21-1 (w-1), Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-42-2.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Murali Vijay lbw Pattinson 1 (7b), Shane Watson lbw Boult 4 (5b, 1x4), Faf du Plessis (not out) 58 (44b, 6x4), Ambati Rayudu c & b Chahar 71 (48b, 6x4, 3x6), Ravindra Jadeja lbw b K Pandya 10 (5b, 2x4), Sam Curran c Pattinson b Bumrah 18 (6b, 1x4, 2x6), MS Dhoni (not out) 0 (2b). Extras (W-3, NB-1) 4. Total (5 wkts, 19.2 overs) 166.

Fall of Wickets: 1-5 (Watson), 2-6 (Vijay), 3-121 (Rayudu), 4-134 (Jadeja), 5-153 (Curran).

Bowling: Trent Boult 3.2-0-23-1, James Pattinson 4-0-27-1 (w-1), Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-43-1 (w-1, nb-1) Krunal Pandya 4-0-37-1 (w-1), Rahul Chahar 4-0-36-1.

Result: Chennai won by 5 wickets.