IPL 2019 - Qualifier 1 Mumbai Marching Gracefully to the Finals

After winning the toss Chennai Super Kings did not get the desired start they had hoped for, as Faf du Plessis (6 out; 11b; 1X4) walks back in the 3^rd over. However, the danger for CSK was not over yet, when in the next over Suresh Raina (5 out; 7b; 1X4) departs as CSK stood at 12-2, after 3.3 overs. Chennai lost the wicket of Shane Watson (10 out; 13b; 2X4) in the 6^th over, CSK at 32-3 after 6 overs. However, Murli Vijay and Ambati Rayadu started building a slow partnership, until in the 13^th over, Rahul Chahar scalps his Murli Vijay’s (26 out; 26b; 3X4) wicket, Chennai at 65-4 after 12.1 overs. However, Rayadu (42 not out; 37b; 3X4, 1X6) along with MS Dhoni were trying had put runs on the board with difficulty. MS Dhoni (37 not out; 29b; 3X6) hit 3 sixes but the slow nature of the pitch was restricting the run flow. The duo put 66 runs for the 5^th wicket to end the 20 overs with 131 on the board with the loss of 4 wickets.

In the 2^nd innings Chennai had a good start, after getting hit for a boundary in the 1^st ball, Deepak Chahar scalps skipper Rohit Sharma’s (4 out; 2b; 1X4) wicket in the 2^nd ball. Harbhajan Singh strikes in the 4^th over with Quinton de Kock’s (8 out; 12b; 2X4) wicket, as Mumbai Indians stood at 21-2 after 3.2 overs. As Suryakumar Yadav came to the crease, CSK was failing to restrict him. In the 4^th over Murli Vijay dropped a catch of Suryakumar Yadav, which later cost a game to Chennai in the Qualifier.  Suryakumar was steadily taking Mumbai closer to the target. However, Imran Tahir managed to make a breakthrough at the end of 14^th over, when he scalps 2 back-to-back wickets of set batsmen Ishan Kishan (28 out; 31b; 1X4, 1X6) and new to the crease Krunal Pandya (0 out; 1b). Ravindra Jadeja produced another chance at the 1^st ball of 15^th over, as Suryakumar Yadav edges the ball but Shane Watson failed to take the catch at 1^st slip position. Suryakumar Yadav (71 not out; 54b; 10X4) was unstoppable, as he contributed an unbeaten 71 runs with smart cricketing shots to score on a slow surface, taking Mumbai Indians to a well-deserved victory. Chennai Super Kings still have a chance to make it to the Finals in the Eliminator, as they face the winning team of Qualifier 2, yet to be decided.