Dubai: The wait and the speculation are finally over. Four-time champions Mumbai Indians have taken on Chennai Super Kings, three-time winners, in what is billed as the ‘El Clasico’ of the IPL to set the ball rolling for the 13th edition at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Mumbai Indians scored 162/9 in the first innings. CSK chased down the target in the last over.
MI scored 162/9 in the first innings. Rohit Sharma (12) and Quinton de Kock (33) got MI off to a flying start before it was new recruit Piyush Chawla who got the first wicket in the 5th over. Sam Curran struck soon after to give CSK two quick wickets. Suryakumar Yadav (17) and Saurabh Tiwary (42) then built a steadying partnership. Faf du Plessis took two back-to-back boundary catches to see the ends of Tiwary and Hardik Pandya (14).
CSK pulled things back after the quick wickets to end the MI innings at 162/9 in 20 overs. In the chase, CSK lost both their openers in the first two overs. Faf du Plessis (58*) and Ambati Rayudu (71) then built a big partnership to take them towards the target, which CSK hauled down in the last over, with cameos from Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja helping them on their way.