IPL 2021, CSK v MI: Who won yesterday's match?

Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (88* off 58) played a superb knock as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) got the better of the Mumbai Indians (MI) by 20 runs in Match 30 of IPL 2021 in Dubai.

Gaikwad’s innings saw CSK recover from 7/3 to post a competitive 156/6. CSK then got off to a brilliant start in their defence, reducing MI to 41 for 3 at the end of the powerplay overs. The defending champions were eventually restricted to 136 for 8.

MI opener Quinton de Kock looked in good form and crunched three fine boundaries before being undone by the guile of Deepak Chahar. The pacer got a full ball to bend back slightly into the left-hander and beat his inside edge. CSK needed to take the DRS but were successful in seeing the back for De Kock for 17.

Anmolpreet Singh (16), making his IPL debut in place of MI skipper Rohit Sharma, looked impressive during his short stay at the crease. He whipped Josh Hazlewood for a six over fine leg in handsome fashion. Two boundaries were also scored in the same over, which went for 14.

Chahar again worked his magic though, knocking back Anmolpreet’s stumps with a knuckle ball as the MI batter was too early into his stroke. ‘Lord’ Shardul Thakur then struck a mighty blow, dismissing Suryakumar Yadav (3) with one that stopped on the batter. Yadav looked to loft Thakur down the ground but ended up being caught by Faf du Plessis, who completed a smart catch running back and across from mid-off.

Dwayne Bravo, who had played a blazing cameo with the bat earlier, smartly outfoxed Ishan Kishan (11). The experienced pacer slanted a full delivery across the left-hander’s outside off stump, and the batter only managed to drive the ball uppishly into the hands of shortish extra cover.

Stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard (15), who played a blistering knock the last time the two sides met, could not rescue his team. He missed a length delivery from Josh Hazlewood that slanted in and was trapped right in front. The MI skipper took the review more in hope than conviction.

Krunal Pandya (4) gifted his wicket away to CSK, attempting a non-existent single. He was sent back by Saurabh Tiwary but could not get back into his crease in time as Dhoni calmly whipped off the bails. Tiwary went on to complete a valiant fifty, but with no support from the other end his knock was in vain.

MI needed 24 off the last over but Bravo claimed two wickets with his variations to complete CSK’s tremendous fight back in the match.

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Gaikwad’s brilliance lifts CSK to 156/6 after horror start

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Dwayne Bravo. Pic: IPLT20.COM

CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad played an exceptional innings of 88 not out from 58 balls as Chennai recovered from 24 for 4 to post a competitive 156 for 6. Gaikwad smashed nine fours and four sixes in his fantastic knock, and with some help from Dwayne Bravo (23 off 8) and Ravindra Jadeja (26 off 33), pushed CSK past the 150-mark.

Gaikwad was dropped by Quinton de Kock on 19, a tough chance off Rahul Chahar’s bowling, as the batter attempted a cut. MI had to pay dearly for the lost chance as Gaikwad played some audacious strokes against the best fast bowlers in the business.

He got some rhythm into his innings by attacking left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya in the 12th over. Gaikwad first stepped down the track and launched the slow bowler for a maximum down the ground. Two more fours followed off cheeky shots as 18 came off the over.

The CSK opener brought up his fifty in grand fashion, whacking stand-in MI skipper Kieron Pollard for a boundary. One of his best shots came against Jasprit Bumrah in the 17th over as he picked a slower ball and guided it over long off for six.

Bravo came in and played his trademark strokes as CSK’s batting flourished in the end overs. The experienced campaigner struck three sixes by throwing his bat around before perishing in the last over.

Two of the sixes came in the penultimate over bowled by Trent Boult but it was Gaikwad’s shot which stood out. The MI left-arm seamer attempted a yorker but the ball ended up as a full toss and the CSK opener nonchalantly clipped the ball for six as 24 came off the over.

Gaikwad ended his and CSK’s innings on a high, paddling a low full toss from Burmrah into the stands over square leg. 15 came from the last over as Gaikwad gave his bowlers something to defend.

The start to CSK’s innings was in stark contrast to the end. After MS Dhoni won the toss and batted first, Faf du Plessis (0) fell in the first over, slicing Boult to short third man. Moeen Ali also went back without scoring, toe-ending Adam Milne to cover point, where Saurabh Tiwary took a low diving catch.

Ambati Rayudu had to retire hurt after being struck on the elbow by a short ball from Milne that stayed awkwardly low. Suresh Raina (4) was troubled by the short ball. Anticipating one, he hit a length ball from Boult straight up in the air.

Dhoni (3) was next to go. His pull off Milne was well-timed but could only find the one fielder at deep square. The CSK skipper walked back with his side in all sorts of strife at 24 for 4. Gaikwad’s magic, however, lifted their hopes and brought the smiles back to the CSK camp.

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IPL 2021: CSK v MI - Who was the Man of the Match?

CSK opener Gaikwad was sensational with the bat. He played some exceptional shots to lift the franchise out of a precarious situation. The right-hander blasted nine fours and four sixes and scored an unbeaten 88 in CSK’s total of 156 for 6. Some of the strokes he played against MI’s pacers were extraordinary.

Bravo played a fantastic cameo of 23 in eight balls, claimed three wickets and was involved in the run out of Krunal. CSK pacer Deepak Chahar got the team off to a great start in the chase, dismissing De Kock and Anmolpreet. Pacer Adam Milne stood out for MI with figures of 2 for 21, while Saurabh Tiwary remained unbeaten on 50 off 40 balls.

Gaikwad was named the Man of the Match for his game-changing knock.