IPL 2018: MI v CSK: Dwayne Bravo's blitzkrieg is the SK Turning Point of the match
The eleventh edition of the IPL has started off in a thrilling manner. After a hiatus of two years, the Chennai Super Kings have made a thumping comeback to the tournament with a memorable victory over their arch-rivals, the Mumbai Indians, at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday (April 8).
MS Dhoni won the toss and chose to field first on the peculiar, batting-friendly wicket in Mumbai. In an impressive bowling performance, his team managed to restrict the hosts to a below-par total of 165-4 after 20 overs. However, the chase was not as straightforward as one might think. CSK managed to come out on top of the hosts at the end of it all, but could only do it after fighting tooth and nail throughout the second innings.
The architect of this victory was none other than Dwayne Bravo, who brought his team out of the dead with a single-handed effort. He played a sensational knock of 68 runs off 30 balls. His swashbuckling batting included three boundaries and seven mammoth sixes and he maintained a strike-rate of 226 throughout the inningsx.
When the Trinidadian came out to bat before the jam-packed crowd in Mumbai, his team was already in a perilous position, at 75-5 after 12 overs. Wickets kept tumbling around him, but he stayed put on one end, trying to steady the ship with his watchful batting.
When he decided to break the shackles, he went in full throttle and never looked back.
The right-handed batsman smashed Mitchell McClenaghan for 19 runs in the third-last over of the game in an onslaught that included one four and two gigantic sixes. Then, he took the attack to Bumrah, one one of the best-limited overs bowlers in the world currently. Bravo spanked the right-arm bowler for 20 runs in just 5 deliveries before finally getting dismissed off the last delivery of the over.
However, CSK were right back into the match by then and they required just 7 runs in the last 6 deliveries. Kedar Jadhav managed to get them past the finishing line with composure, despite harbouring a serious injury.
Not only did Bravo perform with the bat, but also spewed brilliance with the ball. In an efficient display, he gave away just 25 runs in his quota of four overs in the first innings. He gave away just 12 runs in the last three overs that he bowled and his effort was pivotal in truncating MI's potential target.
CSK have now secured their first ever one-wicket victory in the history of the Indian Premier League. This is the kind of comeback they will cherish for a long time. It will certainly give them a lot of confidence going forward in the tournament.
For now, it is safe to say that the Indian Premier League is back in full swing.