Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians outclasses Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings

‘Mumbai Indians’ outclassed ‘Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s ‘Chennai Super Kings’ by 19 runs on Saturday in the opening match of the Indian Premier League tournament which commenced here today.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to field first. The decision that looked the right one till halfway through the innings as Chennai bowlers not only managed to get the wicket of the master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya (26 runs off 20 balls), they also managed to restrict Sachin Tendulkar to 59 off 49 balls. The latter remained unbeaten.

Mumbai Indians looked in trouble when they lost Shikhar Dhawan (22) who edged the ball up in the air for Chennai skipper Dhoni to take the catch at mid-wicket. Shortly, JP Duminy (9) mistimed a pull straight back to Gony where he managed to collect the catch despite a fumble. Dwayne Bravo (5) fell to an impressive catch by Matthew Hayden while pulling to deep square leg.

Tendulkar, who remained not out till last, however, was supported by some late order hitting by Abhishek Nayar, who smashed a fine knock of 35 of 14 deliveries. The latter hit three sixes in one over by Andrew Flintoff before mistiming a slow delivery from Jacob Oram by hitting it to long-off for Thilan Thushara to collect his catch.

Mumbai Indians managed to score a respectable score of 165 for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs.Meanwhile, Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings got off to a poor start when they lost Parthiv Patel on the second ball while taking a run . Suresh Raina (8) was the next to fall.

Andrew Flintoff, IPL’ most expensive player, was looking to hit over mid-wicket, but edged it high up in the air for Harbhajan to take a simple catch in front of mid-off. He hit a six and two fours in his 24-run knock that came off 23 deliveries.Matthew Hayden, however, played some fine shots and scored 44 runs off 35 deliveries.

Skipper Dhoni tried his best to bring his team out of danger. But he failed to rescue it fully, as his team lost to Mumbai Indians by 19 runs, scoring only 146 runs in 20 overs.Sachin Tendulkar was declared ‘Man of the Match’ for his brilliant innings.