MI limit CSK to 176 despite Dube, Jadeja fifties

Mumbai Indians (MI) restricted Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to 176 in an innings that largely remained intent-less at the Wankhede. In the last match on this pitch, RCB scored 221 and had to work hard to defend it. That CSK got to a respectable total was down to Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja targeting certain pockets of the innings, and the 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre's eye-catching debut.

Ashwani Kumar and Trent Boult went for 85 runs in six overs between them. The other 14 overs, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Santner, produced just 91 runs. There was a 27-ball period in the middle overs when not only was a boundary not hit, but there was not even an attempt made to hit one. Then, even after Dube broke free with a 30-ball fifty, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja presented plum match-ups to Bumrah and Santner, who went through overs 17 and 18 without a boundary.

Dhoni's dismissal in the 19th over to Bumrah resulted in the return of Boult for the final over - otherwise MI could have bowled Santner - and Jadeja could finally get a couple of big hits in to reach his half-century and unfurl the sword celebration.

Hardik Pandya, MI's leading wicket-taker this IPL, bowled only two overs for only 13 runs. He could have perhaps bowled at least one of the overs bowled by Ashwani and Boult. However, this was the only blemish on a night of excellent planning and execution for MI, which began with Deepak Chahar bowling four overs in a row at the top and ending with the wicket of Mhatre with a slower legcutter after the debutant had given CSK the only impetus in the powerplay for 32 off 15.

Santner then tied down Shaik Rasheed and Jadeja before the arrival of Dube meant he was taken off with two left-hand batters at the wicket. Especially when one ofn them was Dube, whose slow start again underlined the lack of batting power in the CSK line-up.