Momentum is crucial in all sports but possibly nowhere more so than in the Indian Premier League where, thanks to the truncated format of Twenty20 and a relentless fixture schedule, things happen so quickly there is barely any time to react. Just ask Mumbai Indians. After a slow start in the competition they won seven of their final eight league games before earning a place in the final with a superb all-round performance in Tuesday evening’s qualifier.
To join them, Chennai Super Kings – the top-placed side in the regular season – must now beat whichever of Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore progress from tomorrow’s eliminator.
Playing an away game at their home ground, Mumbai won the toss and batted, on the basis that a good track gave them the opportunity to put runs on the board; Chennai preferred to chase for the same reason. Quickly, it looked as if Rohit Sharma was right, the controlled hitting of Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel parlaying a solid start into a superb one.
After 10 overs the score stood at 86 for nought, forcing MS Dhoni to introduce Dwayne Bravo into the attack sooner than planned – the competition’s leading wicket-taker is generally saved for the end. The decision was justified by Patel’s removal for 35 but there would be ramifications later in the innings.
In the meantime Simmons kept at it – his 65 from 51 balls included five sixes – and while he was at the wicket Mumbai looked set to post an enormous target. But his dismissal preceded a lull, Sharma departing soon after when Bravo returned, and Hardik Pandya falling to Ashish Nehra with the first ball of the next over.
For Chennai, though, this was a double-edged sword, bringing the brilliant Kieron Pollard to the crease. His innings of 41 from 17 balls featured five sixes, some forced from the toe of the bat, others flicked with no apparent effort, and helped Mumbai to 187 for six, a score they would have taken before the start of the innings but one CSK clearly felt capable of chasing.
However, unable to build the big early partnership that facilitates later slogging, they never quite threatened it. Lasith Malinga removed Dwayne Smith in the first over, the victim of a frankly ridiculous lbw decision, and wickets followed regularly thereafter. Faf du Plessis did his best, contributing 45 from 34 balls, but at the other end Michael Hussey was caught behind for 16 before Harbhajan Singh removed Suresh Raina and Dhoni in consecutive deliveries to leave CSK reeling at 86 for four from 10.3 overs.
Even so at the end of 17 overs Chennai’s score of 141 was identical to that of Mumbai at the same stage, but the three extra wickets lost indicated the pressure of the chase and meant they never really threatened victory. Ravi Ashwin, with 23 from 12 balls, had a dart, but Malinga accounted for him and Nehra in the penultimate over to give Mumbai victory by 25 runs; it will take an inspired performance to prevent them claiming their second IPL championship on Sunday.
