At Wankhede Stadium, the Chennai Super Kings upset the Mumbai Indians by 20 runs thanks to MS Dhoni’s explosive blow towards the conclusion of the first inning. That gave the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team their first win away from home and cemented their ranking at number three in the standings.
Ajinkya Rahane was put out to open, partnering Rachin Ravindra, which was a surprise way to start the day. But as Rahane’s difficult IPL 2024 season went on, the decision backfired. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the captain, batted at number three and made 69 runs off of 40 deliveries. It was an excellent knock. Rachin was out for 21 runs, but Dube took care of business with his customary aggressive style, hitting 66 runs off 38 deliveries.
MS Dhoni caused chaos in the final four deliveries of the first inning, hitting three straight sixes and taking a double on the last ball as CSK scored 206 runs in the opening over. Given that the game was being played at Wankhede, MI would have been expected to pursue it, but that didn’t occur.
With a 70-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, MI got off to a strong start. However, Matheesha Pathirana broke the partnership and ultimately altered the outcome of the match. The four wickets that the Sri Lankan international claimed significantly contributed to Mumbai’s defeat. However, despite Rohit’s century-making performance (103 runs off 63 deliveries), it was insufficient. It may have been different if he had received more help from the opposite end.
1. World Cup MVP candidate Shivam Dube?
Shivam Dube has been pounding on the door for a while now, and BCCI needs to answer. Due to Hardik’s severe struggles and Rinku Singh’s lack of playing time at KKR, the 30-year-old, who is in the best form of his life, may wind up winning a ticket to the T20 World Cup. The all-rounder struck 66 runs against MI’s elite bowling unit, something that India captain Rohit attentively observed.
2. Dhoni remains capable
Should Dhoni continue to smash the ball in this manner, what reason is there to discuss his retirement? Three balls, three sixes—that’s classic Dhoni at the top of his game. Most significantly, the renowned cricket player demonstrated that he still possesses the ability to clear the ropes with relative ease. In the end, he proved to be the difference.
Also read: Shot of the Day – MS Dhoni whacks Pandya for monstrous six at Wankhede- MI vs CSK IPL 2024
3. Little Malinga developing into Prime Malinga
Matheesa Pathirana should stop going by the moniker “Baby Malinga.” As evidenced by his four wickets and Player of the Match display against MI, the pacer is consistently producing results for CSK. The cricketer will continue to be a valuable asset to CSK if he maintains his current level of play.
4. The fitness of Rohit Sharma
India’s ability to score runs under Rohit Sharma is encouraging as they aim to perform well in the T20 World Cup. It is encouraging that he spent the full 20 overs in the middle of the field.
The losing skipper of the Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya, said:
It (target) was definitely gettable, but they bowled pretty well. Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with the plans and their approach. They got the hang of it, there’s a man behind the stumps (Dhoni) who tells them what’s working, that helps. It (pitch) was holding up a bit and getting difficult. It was about batting well and keeping the intent.
We were going quite well (in the run chase) till Pathirana came into the attack and took those two wickets. It was about what is best at that time, we could have done something different. I like to play percentage cricket, it would have been difficult for him (Dube) against seamers rather than spin. We are on the road for the next four games, need to play good cricket, need to keep the intensity high.
Winning skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said:
The young wicketkeeper scoring those three sixes helped us a lot, that proved to be the difference. We needed those 10-15 extra runs for this kind of venue. In the middle phase, Bumrah bowled really well. I feel we were spot on with our execution with the ball despite them scoring some great shots. I would have taken 6 overs 60 at the powerplay. You need to be on the mark with bowling and batting at this venue.
Our Malinga bowled really well today, he nailed those yorkers. Not to forget, Tushar and Shardul also did well. I think we need to keep it simple, encourage all to be in a good headspace and continue the same way. Jinks was carrying a bit of a niggle, so thought it was better for him to open. I’m fine batting anywhere, plus it is the added responsibility as the team captain.
POTM Matheesha Pathirana said:
When we were bowling in the powerplay, I was pretty nervous. I was told to keep it calm an do my thing, that gave me the confidence today. I don’t think too much about results, just concerned with my execution. If I execute, I will get my rewards. Sometimes I have to change my plans depending on the batters. I was struggling with a bit of a niggle for two weeks, but the support staff all backed me and that’s been the main reason for my form.
India
