Chennai Super Kings make winning return to the IPL as Daredevils sign England’s Plunkett
Chennai Super Kings marked their return to the Indian Premier League in the most dramatic fashion after securing a one-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in last night’s opening match of the 2018 season.
Set a target of 166 for victory, Chennai’s chances looked slim when they trailed by 47 runs with just under four overs remaining when Mark Wood was caught by Mustafizur Rehman off the bowling of Hardik Pandya for just one run.
And when West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo followed him back to the changing rooms 15 balls later having blitzed his ways to a 30-ball 68, Chennai must have feared their return to Twenty20’s most lucrative league after a two-year ban for their part in a spot-fixing scandal would end on a losing note.
At that stage Chennai required seven runs off the remaining number of balls. Kedar Jadhav (24 not out) dully obliged with a six way over short fine leg before hitting the winning boundary
Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma said: “Not feeling good at the momen ... We need to improve our execution. We were in the game till the 17th over. Anyway, good learning for all of us. With the dew coming it, it was difficult for the bowlers. We felt we were 10-15 runs short.
Chennai’s matchwinner Jadhav revealed afterwards he struggled to run between the wickets because of an injury.
“Bravo gave us the opportunity for us to give a shot at it,” he said. “With six balls and seven runs, they were bowling same lengths and I just needed a big hit. I had to see how my body was reacting.”
Delhi Daredevils have signed England fast bowler Liam Plunkett to take the place of injured South African paceman Kagiso Rabada.
This will be the “first stint” in the IPL for the 33-year-old Plunkett, the Daredevils said in announcing the signing.
Rabada had signed a US$650,000 (Dh2.4 million) deal with the Daredevils, who open their IPL campaign on Sunday against Kings XI Punjab. But he has been ruled out of cricket for up to three months with a back stress fracture.
Yorkshire bowler Plunkett was picked from a pool of available replacements. He has played in 13 Tests, 65 one-day internationals and 15 T20 internationals for England.