Chennai Super Kings marked their return to the Indian Premier League in the most dramatic fashion after securing a one-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in Saturday night’s opening match of the 2018 season.
Set a target of 166 for victory, Chennai’s chances looked slim when they trailed by 47 runs with just under four overs remaining when Mark Wood was caught by Mustafizur Rehman off the bowling of Hardik Pandya for just one run.
And when West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo followed him back to the changing rooms 15 balls later having blitzed his ways to a 30-ball 68, Chennai must have feared their return to Twenty20’s most lucrative league after a two-year ban for their part in a spot-fixing scandal would end on a losing note.
At that stage Chennai required seven runs off the remaining number of balls. Kedar Jadhav (24 not out) dully obliged with a six way over short fine leg before hitting the winning boundary.
Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma said: “Not feeling good at the momen ... We need to improve our execution. We were in the game till the 17th over. Anyway, good learning for all of us. With the dew coming it, it was difficult for the bowlers. We felt we were 10-15 runs short.
Chennai’s matchwinner Jadhav revealed afterwards he struggled to run between the wickets because of an injury.
“Bravo gave us the opportunity for us to give a shot at it,” he said. “With six balls and seven runs, they were bowling same lengths and I just needed a big hit. I had to see how my body was reacting.”
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