 | | The Chennai Super Kings moved within one win of the Indian Premier League final with a 38-run win over the Mumbai Indians in Wednesday's elimination match in Bangalore... |
The Chennai Super Kings moved within one win of the Indian Premier League final with a 38-run win over the Mumbai Indians in Wednesday's elimination match in Bangalore.A blistering 20-ball half-century by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni propelled Chennai to 187 for five in their 20 overs and Mumbai were never in the hunt, limping to 149 for nine. The win takes the Super Kings into Friday's second qualifying match, where they will face the Delhi Daredevils, with the winners going on to the final against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Chennai started badly after being put in to bat, taking only one run from the first over and lost Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina to the first two balls of the next, bowled by Dhawal Kulkarni (three for 46). But Michael Hussey and Subramaniam Badrinath put on 94 for the third wicket before the latter fell for 47 from 39 balls, hoisting Kieron Pollard to long-on as he looked to add to his boundary count of six fours and a six. Hussey followed for 49 from 39, with eight fours and a six, as Kulkarni took a superb catch at deep square-leg. Ravindra Jadeja made just one but Dhoni took centre stage, smashing six fours and two sixes as he put on 73 in less than five overs with Dwayne Bravo, whose 14-ball 33 contained three fours and two sixes. Mumbai's Dwayne Smith made 38 from 22 balls and put on 47 with opening partner Sachin Tendulkar (11), but no other batsman passed 20 as the innings subsided. Bravo and Albie Morkel took two wickets apiece and Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga's 17 was the next highest contribution from any of Mumbai's struggling batsmen. |