Mumbai Indians, playing their second IPL final, have won the tournament beating Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs. It was an impressive performance by the team from the West as they did not panic not having the best of starts to the game.
The night belonged to Mumbai Indians as the Rohit Sharma-led outfit outclassed Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs to be crowned the new IPL champions.
Mumbai Indians were clearly the btter side despite not the best of starts as they completely demolished the Super Kings at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Sunday night.
Chennai, who are mired in spot-fixing controversy after the arrest of owner N Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, had a disastrous start to their innings, losing two wickets in the very first over. Lasith Malinga claimed the wickets of Orange Cap holder Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina. It was clear the Gods favour Mumbai on the day with Chennai losing two more quick wickets to be doddering on 35 for four. From there it was a trek to the inevitable
Meanwhile, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement from tournament. He said, after the match, “This is my last IPL, and this is a perfect way to end IPL.”
The summit clash was almost over when chasing 148, Chennai Super Kings’ innings crumbled at the start and it was only CSK skipper MS Dhoni who delayed the inevitable.
This was Chennai Super Kings’ fifth time in the IPL finals. They have won two and been the runners-up twice now.
Earlier, Pollard stood tall among the ruins with an unbeaten half-century to help Mumbai Indians post a 148 for nine. Pollard hit two huge sixes over long on and long off to end the proceedings as he smashed a 32-ball 60 not out studded with seven fours and three over-boundaries to push MI’s total close to 150.
It was a good toss to lose for Mahendra Singh Dhoni as his seamer duo of Mohit Sharma (1/26) and Albie Morkel (2/12) gave them a dream start rocking Mumbai Indians for 16/3 in the fourth over.
Later, it was Dwyane Bravo who earned the ‘Orange Cap’ in style with his four-wicket blitz that rattled the Mumbai Indians batting.
The two-time defending champions played to their reputation as the Dhoni’s men played without being affected by the controversy and the script just went their way at a jam-packed Eden Gardens.
The embattled Super Kings could not have asked for a better start with season’s ‘find’ Mohit dismissing Dwayne Smith (4) in the first over.
The dangerman Smith was trapped right in front when an in-cutter had him plumb in the fourth ball. The young Mohit almost had another in the same over when Dinesh Karthik had an outside edge, this time off an away swinger, but it was a little wide of Ravichandran Ashwin, the lone slip fielder.
Aditya Tare’s (0) stint lasted for one ball ball with Morkel rattling the youngster’s leg-stump in the first ball, and came back in the next over to dismiss Rohit Sharma (2) in a soft manner as the Mumbai skipper’s woeful run continued with the bat.
The young Mohit justified the faith on him as he kept things tight on one end running through his full quota with 1/26 but it was an otherwise silent Morkel who roared back to form.
