Chennai Super Kings' bowling unit successfully restricted Mumbai Indians to a below-par total of 155 runs at Chepauk, with Noor Ahmed impressing on his debut for CSK.
After winning the toss, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad opted to field first. Mumbai Indians were missing key players Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah for this match, yet they managed to assemble a well-balanced team, featuring openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton.
Khaleel Ahmed initiated the proceedings for Chennai Super Kings, with Rohit Sharma facing the first ball. It was a defensive start, followed by some attempts from Rohit to find his rhythm. However, Khaleel outsmarted him with a bounce, and on the very next ball, Rohit was dismissed for a 4 ball duck , offering an easy catch to Shivam Dube.
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Will Jacks joined the crease and quickly got off the mark with a boundary. Both Rickelton and Will Jacks targeted Sam Curran, scoring several boundaries in the second over. However, Rickelton, who was timing the ball well, was dismissed by Khaleel Ahmed after an inside edge knocked the stumps, falling for 13 runs off 7 balls. This marked Mumbai’s second wicket in the third over.
Mumbai Indians Struggle Against CSK Spinners
The crowd erupted as Ravi Ashwin was brought into the attack. He immediately made an impact by dismissing the dangerous Will Jacks, prompting Tilak Varma to join his captain, Surya Kumar Yadav, at the crease.
At the end of the powerplay, Mumbai stood at 50 for 3, with Ruturaj Gaikwad ready to unleash a spin attack from both ends by introducing Noor Ahmed right after the powerplay. Surya and Tilak combined effectively, finding boundaries and hitting sixes, with Tilak being the more aggressive partner. They added a valuable 51 runs off 36 balls for the fourth wicket before Noor Ahmed outfoxed Surya Kumar Yadav, resulting in MS Dhoni's swift stumping, sending the Mumbai captain back for 29 runs off 26 balls.
Noor Ahmed continued his wicket-taking spree by dismissing the struggling Robin Minz, caught by Ravindra Jadeja. Tilak Varma, now running out of partners, was eventually caught LBW by Noor Ahmed, who claimed his third wicket of the day, leaving Mumbai at 96 for 6 by the end of the 13th over.Â
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Noor Ahmed claimed his fourth wicket of the match by dismissing Naman Dhir bowled, who was trying to offer some hope to MI fans.
Deepak Chahar's Handy Contribution
Deepak Chahar contributed a handy knock at the end, helping Mumbai Indians reach a total of 155 for 9 in 20 overs.
Khaleel Ahmed in the powerplay and Noor Ahmed in the middle overs proved to be too much for Mumbai Indians, as they restricted MI to a below-par score at Chepauk. A target of 156 runs is certainly achievable for Chennai Super Kings, given their impressive batting depth. They will be aiming to start the season with a win. Stay tuned for highlights of the chase!
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