Mumbai, Apr 20 (UNI) Ravindra Jadeja (53* off 35) and Shivam Dube (50 off 32) launched a calculated assault to propel Chennai Super Kings to 176/5 after Mumbai Indians chose to bowl first in their IPL clash on Sunday.
Early momentum came from 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, who announced himself on the big stage with a blistering 15-ball 32, including four boundaries and two sixes, one of them a memorable pick-up shot over deep mid-wicket that had the Wankhede buzzing.
He looked poised for a longer stay before holing out to Mitchell Santner off Deepak Chahar just as CSK began to build steam at 57/2 in the 7th over.
Shaik Rasheed followed shortly, stumped by Ryan Rickelton off Santner, as CSK stumbled to 63/3 at eight overs.
Enter Dube and Jadeja, two left-handers who revived CSK’s innings with a 79-run partnership that mixed power with precision. Dube was first to shift gears. He smashed a pair of sixes off Ashwani Kumar in the 16th over, one of which slipped through Jasprit Bumrah's hands at fine leg and sailed over the ropes, adding insult to injury.
The very next over, Dube brought up his half-century with a mistimed shot that fell in no man's land. But Bumrah, MI's go-to man, broke the stand soon after with a clever slower delivery that Dube flicked straight to Will Jacks at the boundary. A wry smile and a pat on the back followed, a sporting moment between two warriors of the game.
Captain M S Dhoni couldn’t provide the finishing touch this time, managing just 4 runs before falling to a low full-toss from Bumrah, caught by Tilak Varma at deep backward square.
But Jadeja was still there, and he turned it on in style. He smacked Ashwani for a flat six downtown to start the 16th over, and followed it with a boundary in the 18th as Jacks misjudged a low full toss.
The veteran all-rounder was at his vintage best in the final over, lofting a juicy full toss from Trent Boult over cow corner, then threading one past short fine leg to bring up a half-century off 34 balls.
Out came the trademark sword celebration, Jadeja had done the job. Jamie Overton added a streaky four via inside edge off Bumrah, and helped CSK to finish strong with a flurry of late runs.
Bumrah (2/25) was once again the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai, while Santner (1/14) kept things tight in the middle. Young Ashwani had a mixed outing with a wicket and an expensive 42-run haul in just 2 overs.
With the pitch playing true and the dew expected to assist batting later on, the chase is well and truly on.
Mumbai will back their firepower, but CSK’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Matheesha Pathirana and Jadeja, will look to make them earn every run.
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