IPL 2021: Bowlers back Gaikwad's genius to help CSK defeat MI

Dubai [UAE], September 19 (ANI): Ruturaj Gaikwad's masterful 88-run knock was followed by a spirited bowling performance as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) by 20 runs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter here at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
For CSK, Dwayne Bravo scalped three wickets and Deepak Chahar took two. For Mumbai Indians, Saurabh Tiwary was the highest scorer after playing a knock of 50 runs. With this win, Chennai Super Kings went to the top of the IPL table while Mumbai is now in danger of falling outside the top 4 if they get on a losing streak.
Chasing 156, Mumbai Indians got off to a shaky start after Deepak Chahar trapped Quinton de Kock in front of wickets for LBW in the 3rd over. Chahar struck again in his next over to send Anmolpreet Singh (16) back to the pavilion. MI debutant was completely deceived by the superb knuckleball of Chahar.
Suryakumar Yadav had a short stay at pitch after Shardul Thakur sent him back in his first over. SKY was caught at cover by Faf. Saurabh Tiwary and Ishan Kishan tried to reverse the momentum towards the side of defending champions. The duo steadied the ship for MI while CSK did well to keep the boundaries out of the equation.
Bravo came clutch for the team in yellow in his first over as he broke the partnership and took the wicket of Kishan (16). MI stand-in captain Kieron Pollard (15) was then trapped by Josh Hazlewood in 13.1 over. Soon Krunal Pandya followed his skipper as he was run out in the next over.
Saurabh Tiwary scored fifty, but with no big partnership with a fellow batter in the middle and death, Mumbai Indians suffered a crushing defeat on the resumption of IPL. Adam Milne and Rahul Chahar got out in the last over of Dwayne Bravo.
Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja starred with the bat as Chennai Super Kings posted a score of 156/6 in the allotted twenty overs against Mumbai Indians. Gaikwad and Jadeja played innings of 88 and 26 respectively for the Super Kings. Dwayne Bravo also played a useful cameo of 23 runs from just eight balls. For Mumbai Indians, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah and Adam Milne scalped two wickets each.
Opting to bat first, Chennai had the worst possible start when Boult sent Faf du Plessis packing for zero in the very first over of the innings. In the very next over, Adam Milne sent back Moeen Ali to the pavilion after a superb diving catch from Tiwary. Milne also retired-hurt Ambati Rayudu with a nasty short ball that nipped back at him and got the Indian on the forearm.
Soon, the situation for Chennai went from bad to worse as Suresh Raina visit at the pitch was ended by Boult in the 3rd over of the innings. In the last over of the powerplay, Adam Milne struck again after Boult caught Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's low pull shot attempt. Mumbai Indians bowlers enjoyed a brilliant 1st powerplay as they restricted Chennai at 24/4 after 6 overs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja were the next two batters and the duo successfully provided much-needed normalcy for the team in yellow. The pair battled through the immense pressure by Mumbai bowlers and stabilised the Super Kings' innings.
Ruturaj Gaikwad reached his half-century in the 16th over of the innings. Playing in his 100th IPL match, Japrit Bumrah scalped his first wicket of the match in 16.4 over as he broke the very important partnership of Jadeja and Gaikwad. Jadeja got out after scoring an important 26.
Dwayne Bravo then partnered Gaikwad on the pitch and hammered towering sixes at the death before getting out by Bumarh in the last over. Bravo scored a quickfire 23 in just 8 balls. Ruturaj Gaikwad finished the innings with an unbeaten 88 of 58 balls.
Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings (Ruturaj Gaikwad 88, Ravindra Jadeja 26; Adam Milne 2-21 Jasprit Bumrah 2-33) vs Mumbai Indians (Saurabh Tiwary 50 Quinton de Kock 17; Dwayne Bravo 3-25, Deepak Chahar 2-19) (ANI)