Wednesday 22 May 2013

PEPSI IPL 2013 Qualifier - 1: CSK vs MI

Chennai Super Kings booked their berth in the Pepsi IPL Final for the fourth consecutive season with a convincing 48-run victory over Mumbai Indians at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi. Batting first CSK posted a mammoth 192 riding on a record-breaking partnership between Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina, before their bowlers bowled out MI for 144.

Chasing 193, CSK drew first blood through Albie Morkel as Aditya Tare (7) hit one straight to Murali Vijay at mid-on in the second over. MI came back hard straight away as Dwayne Smith slammed consecutive sixes off Mohit Sharma. Smith then smashed three consecutive boundaries of Albie Morkel as MI made 56 from their Power Play.

Smith launched two monstrous sixes off Chris Morris as he brought up his fifty in just 21 balls – the third fastest effort in IPL history. Smith (68) deposited Ravichandran Ashwin over the ropes before miscuing Ravindra Jadeja to Suresh Raina at point. At the halfway stage, MI were 92 for two, still requiring 101 runs.

Jadeja struck again, trapping Dinesh Karthik (11) leg before, attempting a slog sweep only to miss the ball altogether. Wickets continued to fall as Rohit Sharma (8) holed out to Dwayne Bravo off Morris. Kieron Pollard (24) smashed two sixes off Jadeja before Michael Hussey pulled off a beautiful catch at backward square-leg.

Needing 66 from 30 balls, Bravo dismissed Harbhajan Singh (0) caught on the fence by Vijay. Mitchell Johnson (6) perished as Suresh Raina pulled of a stunning catch off Bravo in the 18th over. Lasith Malinga (0) and Ambati Rayudu (15) followed suit as MI were bundled out for 144 with eight balls remaining. MI eventually finished 48 runs short.

Earlier CSK won the toss and elected to bat. Hussey got CSK rolling with a boundary off the first delivery. Vijay opened his account with consecutive boundaries off Munaf Patel in the second over. Hussey followed it with two more boundaries off Malinga as CSK made 47 from their Power Play.

Pollard got the breakthrough as Vijay (23) was caught in the deep. Suresh Raina stepped down the track and hit Pragyan Ojha for a six before depositing Harbhajan over the cover ropes. Raina lofted Johnson for a maximum in the twelfth over before Hussey followed suit, pulling Pollard for yet another six.

Raina and Hussey added 140 for the second wicket. The onslaught continued as Raina put Pollard over the ropes again to bring up his fifty. He was put down on 57 a couple balls later by Smith. Malinga's last over went for 19 runs as Hussey (86*) and Raina (82*) slammed a six each to help CSK finish at 192 for one.

Michael Hussey




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