MUMBAI Indians on Sunday (May 5) snapped Chennai Super Kings’ seven-match winning streak with a crushing 60-run victory in a lop-sided Pepsi Indian Premier League match in Mumbai.
Electing to bat, Mumbai scored 139 for five with captain Rohit Sharma top-scoring with a 30-ball 39 not out and then shot out Chennai for just 79 in 15.2 overs at Wankhede Stadium to halt the visiting team’s dream run in the tournament.
Pragyan Ojha (3/11) and Mitchell Johnson (3/27) shared six wickets among them while Lasith Malinga grabbed two wickets for just six runs. Harbhajan Singh and IPL debutant Pawan Suyal chipped in with a wicket each to help Mumbai put brakes on Chennai juggernaut in IPL 6.
Chennai’s 79 all out turned out to be the lowest total posted by them in IPL, their previous lowest being 109 against Rajasthan Royals in 2008 in Jaipur. This was also the lowest total by any team this IPL season, beating Delhi Daredevils’ 80 all out against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday (May 4).
Sunday’s loss was the heaviest defeat for Chennai in the IPL in terms of runs.
Till this match, Chennai looked the most formidable and consistent team but they were never in the run chase in the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday as they suffered a top-order batting collapse with half their side in dressing room for just 34 runs in the seventh over.
They would have been in an even worse situation had the normally brilliant Mumbai fielder Kieron Pollard not dropped Chennai opener Michael Hussey (22) thrice in three successive balls in the first over of the innings bowled by Mitchell Johnson.
Pollard later took catches of Suresh Raina (0) and Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (10) but again dropped Ravindra Jadeja (2) though it was a difficult one.
Despite the loss, Chennai still lead the table with 18 points in 12 matches while Mumbai jumped to third place with 14 points from 11 games.
With the win on Sunday, Mumbai maintained their unbeaten run at home this season while Chennai lost their first away match this year.
