Right that’s all from me. That was a decent, entertaining match to close out the season, even if it wasn’t much of a contest. Congratulations to Mumbai, who complete a magnificent turnaround after a pretty damn poor start to the season. This was a near-perfect T20 performance: aggressive batting, a consistently high run rate, an imposing total and then canny, clever bowling from all.
Cheers for reading, folks. See you in 2016!
Mumbai Indians win the 2015 Indian Premier League
20th over: CSK 161-8 (Jadeja 11, Mohit 21) Vinay Kumar will finish off this year’s edition of the IPL then. Just the 63 needed for CSK glory! Jadeja cuts a full toss to cover point for a single, then Mohit bunts down the ground for a couple. Vinay drops short and wide, and Mohit backs away and carves a massive shot into the stands over point for six. Excellent shot that. He has another big mow, gets a leading edge over backward point this time and Suchith runs round to stop the boundary. “That’s the 150 up for the Super Kings!” cheers the PA. No one else celebrates much. The penultimate ball of the season is slogged over extra cover for six more, then the final ball is a bit of a farce: a slog in the air, no one bothers to try and take the catch and it runs away for four. That’s it! Mumbai win by 41 runs.
19th over: CSK 140-8 (Jadeja 10, Mohit 1) McClenaghan with the penultimate over and he picks up his third wicket with Ashwin. I guess the only question now is whether or not CSK can avoid being bowled out.
Wicket! Ashwin c Suchith b McClenaghan 2
Full, Ashwin has a slog, the bat wobbles in his hand, he toe ends it straight up and when you’re in this kind of good place, those catches don’t go down.
18th over: CSK 137-7 (Jadeja 8, Ashwin 2) Malinga is openly laughing at how easy this all is now. Negi has a big mow outside off but can only bottom edge the ball into the ground. Ashwin comes to the crease after Negi’s wicket, needing to help his side score 69 from 15 balls. Malinga finishes with 2-25; This is an annihilation.
Wicket! Negi c Pandya b Malinga 3
Pushed through a bit quicker, Negi tries to turn the short ball into the on side but gets a leading edge, off the shoulder of the bat, to point.
17th over: CSK 132-6 (Jadeja 6, Negi 3) Vinay Kumar now. There’s a party atmosphere, almost, now and du Plessis’s wicket only adds to it. Jadeja gets four with a flick off his ankles to long leg first ball, but who cares? Not Matt Hayden and not the producer, as we’re focussing on the former Australian opener taking a selfie with Sachin Tendulkar.
Wicket! du Plessis c b Vinay Kumar 1
It’s full and wide from Vinay, Faf has to go for it, but doesn’t get the elevation to clear the captain at cover on the edge of the circle.
16th over: CSK 125-5 (du Plessis 1, Negi 2) target 203 Ahh just want the batting side wanted: Lasith Malinga. Dhoni pulls out a remarkable shot, sending a perfectly serviceable yorker straight back down the ground and into the second tier for a ludicrous, enormous six! Dhoni takes a single, then there’s a no ball as Malinga’s knee clatters into the stumps at the non-striker’s end in his follow through. One more, then Dhoni slugs out to mid on for two. Ah but then he goes, outfoxed and bowled and that, you would think, is that.
Wicket! Dhoni b Malinga 18
Mumbai Indians win the 2015 IPL. It’s a quick yorker, Dhoni, on the sweep, looks to lift it high and deep into the on side, but misses. The ball strikes him on the pad and ricochets into leg stump.
15th over: CSK 112-4 (Dhoni 9, Negi 0) target 203 Back comes McClenaghan and he gives Bravo one in the slot, which the batsman slaps off the bottom end of the bat, down the ground for six. He tries for another big shot when Mitch gives him a touch of width, but perishes in doing so. Dhoni hammers four through midwicket to make it 10 off the over. Not enough by far: 18.2 an over needed now.
Wicket! Bravo c Simmons b McClenaghan 9
Bravo throws everything into this, but can only carve it up to third man, where Simmons takes it comfortably.
14th over: CSK 102-3 (Dhoni 5, Bravo 3) target 203 The final strategic timeout of 2015 has been and passed. Oh well. Dhoni takes a single, then Raina’s unconvincing innings comes to an end. Bravo is promoted up the order and flicks his first delivery round to long leg for two to bring up the team 100.
Wicket! Raina st Patel b Harbhajan 28
Tossed up, wide of off. It doesn’t turn much but Raina charges, looks to chop it down to third man but is done entirely in the flight. Patel whips the bails off.
13th over: CSK 98-2 (Dhoni 4, Raina 24) target 203 Pandya got a bit of tap in that last over, but it makes sense to get his out of the way now, especially given how high the required rate is: touching 15 now. The batsmen continue to struggle with their timing and get a pair of twos and a single from the first five, before Raina backs away and drives over extra cover for four.
12th over: CSK 89-2 (Dhoni 1, Raina 22) target 203 That last over was the first over above the required rate. Three singles from the first three balls, then Bhaji drops short a touch and gets pulled hard over mid on for four by Smith. But Harbhajan has his revenge next ball! Dhoni gets a single from the last.
Wicket! Smith lbw b Harbhajan 57
Plumb, this one. Smith looks to sweep the arm ball, angled into him, and gets smacked on the pad dead in front of middle.
11th over: CSK 81-1 (Smith 52, Raina 20) target 203 Smith gives Pandya the charge first up and thumps him ferociously out to midwicket for four. He slices down to third man for one to bring up the 50 partnership, then Raina hooks another short one over fine leg for four more. This is more like it from CSK. There’s an LBW appeal – turned down as it pitched just outside leg – but then nearly a runout too as Raina takes on Harbhajan at backward point. Luckily for Smith, coming in from the non-striker’s end, the throw misses. Smith brings up his 50 with a nice drive through point from the final ball.
10th over: CSK 67-1 (Smith 43, Raina 16) target 203 Bhaji again and Smith’s charmed life continues: he tries the reverse sweep again, top edges and the ball drops a foot or two short of the man at fine leg up in the circle. Three singles, a wide, and then Raina comes forward and clears mid on with a big hit for six.
9th over: CSK 57-1 (Smith 41, Raina 8) target 203 A short one from Pandya takes Raina by surprise and takes the top edge, but it drops short of Simmons running in from square leg. They get one, then Smith is beaten all ends up by a vicious, quick bouncer. It’s called a no ball on height, wrongly so, but the rebowled ball nips back and passes between bat and body and over the stumps. He overpitches next and Smith smears it along the ground, through extra cover for four. There’s a big LBW appeal a couple of balls later and it looks good to me on first viewing. Height I guess may have been an issue.
8th over: CSK 50-1 (Smith 36, Raina 8) target 203 Spin now from Harbhajan. Smith pulls out the reverse sweep to a straight one and gets it fine down to third man for four. A slog sweep out to deep midwicket brings just the one more, before Raina comes charging down the track, mistimes it out to cow corner and a good bit of fielding on the boundary keeps them to two. Up and over cover next, but again it’s not been timed and it drops into no man’s land. One more. Smith gets back on strike and brings up the 50 with a well-placed heave to wide long on for four. 12 from the over, but that’s still behind the asking rate.
7th over: CSK 38-1 (Smith 27, Raina 5) target 203 Pandya is into the attack and his first ball is swivel pulled off the back foot, at rib height, for four to backward square by Smith. That’s the first really convincing shot he’s played today. A pair of singles are followed by a pair of dots, then Smith knocks the final ball to mid on for one more.
6th over: CSK 31-1 (Smith 21, Raina 4) target 203 Smith goes hard at Vinay, looking to hit him over midwicket but getting a big leading edge up and over point for a one-bounce four. Three dots follow though and Smith looks to be in a bit of a tangle out there, edging one into his own body and seeing it bobble along the floor to slip. A single is all that comes from the rest of the over and it’s timeout time. 12.3 an over needed from here.
5th over: CSK 26-1 (Smith 16, Raina 4) target 203 It’s a change of ends for McClenaghan. As has been the pattern so far, Smith takes a single then Hussey swings and misses at a couple. Eventually the veteran does connect, but sends it scorching low into the hands of the fielder. He goes for a very painful four from nine. Raina is the new man and he’s forced to duck under an excellent bouncer. And then a thick edge, straight through the vacant second slip region at catchable height for four.
Wicket! Hussey c Suchith b McClenaghan 4
Hussey goes on the drive and replays show that it’s been taken very low and very nicely at cover!
4th over: CSK 21-0 (Smith 15, Hussey 4) target 203 Change of bowling with Vinay Kumar coming on. Another awkward, hurried single brings Hussey on strike, still on a blob. He swings and misses at a wide one; ah, in fact it’s been called a wide outside off, rightly so, just about. Another play and miss follows though and he’s zero from five now. Another swing and miss! It’s not really moving about, just Hussey can’t get to grips with Vinay’s angles. Finally runs off the final ball of the over, carved inches over the man on the edge of the circle at cover and away for four.
3rd over: CSK 15-0 (Smith 14, Hussey 0) target 203 A surprise bouncer from Malinga doesn’t really get up, but Smith has to react quickly to prevent himself from wearing it in the midriff. A sharp single, dropped into the leg side, follows, before Hussey steals a leg bye to square leg. The last ball is a wide if Smith leaves it, but instead he tries to turn it round to fine leg only for the fielder up in the circle to make a fine, fine stop.
Updated
2nd over: CSK 12-0 (Smith 12, Hussey 0) target 203 On my other screen, some New Zealand bowlers are getting hammered around the park. Here, Mitch McClenaghan comes on and beats Smith first up. Three dots, the third thanks an excellent diving stop at backward point by Pollard, to start the over, then Smith swings hard, gets a “proper” top edge and it flies over the keeper’s head for the most ill-deserved six you’re ever going to see. A single back past the bowler brings Hussey on strike for the first time today. He looks to clear midwicket but is done for pace and doesn’t connect.
1st over: CSK 5-0 (Smith 5, Hussey 0) target 203 I’m backing this one to go the distance, but for Mumbai to defend it and win by 16 runs. Malinga has the ball and sends down a very low full toss, which Smith blocks out. The batsman looks to hit the next ball straight out the ground, but connects with naught but late night Kolkata air as Malinga’s very full delivery swings away a touch. He gets off the mark fourth ball with a skewed cover drive that speeds away from the fielder and races along the turf for four. A single from the last ball.
No team has ever scored 200 in an IPL final and lost. CSK bat deep, but the Mumbai bowlers will be on a high after that excellent innings. It perhaps wasn’t quite as high a total as they would have hoped for when Simmons and Rohit were going mad, but it’s still a great big total.
On the telly, Mark Butcher is interviewing the guy who got his throat cut in season eight of 24.
End of innings
20th over: Mumbai 202-5 (Rayudu 36, Harbhajan 6) It’s a brilliant first half of the final over, bowled by Bravo, consisting a dot, a wicket and a single to long off. Harbhajan is the new batsman and he clears mid off with a big hard slap off a full one outside off that sails away for six. He backs away to leg, the bowler follows him and a good yorker clatters into his boot and runs down to long leg for four very lucky leg byes. That brings up the 200 and the final ball is a dot.
Wicket! Pandya c Raina b Bravo 0
This is a great catch. It’s a low full toss, smacked off the bottom of the bat out to deep mid on, and Raina takes a great catch diving forward.
19th over: Mumbai 191-4 (Rayudu 35, Pandya 0) Mohit Sharma is back. Mumbai could get 220 here if these last two overs go badly. A single from the first ball to Pollard, then Rayudu scampers miles over to off, goes down on his knees, falls over and takes a tumble, but still manages to scoop it flat over fine leg for six. A dot and another single make it eight from the first four balls, then a wicket from the fifth makes this a decent over. Mohit completes it with a dot. Well bowled.
I should also point out that at Lord’s, Ben Stokes has just completed the most brilliant, 85-ball hundred. Tom Davies has the news.
Wicket! Pollard c Raina b Mohit 36
In the slot and Pollard looks to clear extra cover, but the bat twists in his hand, the face opens and he screws it straight to Raina in the deep.
18th over: Mumbai 183-3 (Rayudu 28, Pollard 34) Bravo again and Rayudu cuts for one first ball. Pollard on strike gives it some tap, but it’s all along the ground and straight to the man at long off. Oh and then absurd from Rayudu! Bravo is round the wicket, sends down a slower ball, the little man backs away and somehow lifts it over cover for a brilliant six. The next ball is a dot, but then Rayudu toe ends another slower one straight up. Immediately, his head drops in dejection, but the ball slips through Smith’s hands at mid off.
17th over: Mumbai 173-3 (Rayudu 20, Pollard 33) Rayudu takes a single to bring Pollard on strike. Wise move. The big guy launches a length ball from Nehra miles and miles and miles and miles and miles over wide mid on for his 26th six of the season. Nehra comes round the wicket and sends in a yorker, but Pollard whips it comfortably off leg and through midwicket for four along the ground. A full toss outside off gets what it deserves, namely a thumping over long on for six more. And six again from the final ball, wide outside off and carved over extra cover! 23 from the over.
16th over: Mumbai 150-3 (Rayudu 19, Pollard 11) Well I don’t know about you, but I totally want to buy things after that batting strategic timeout. Funny that. Mohit Sharma again and Pollard actually drops his hands and leaves one! This is very good stuff from the bowler; after Pollard pulls to deep midwicket for two, the bowler cuts him in half with what looks like the off cutter to me. Pollard gives him the charge but can only edge into his pads for a single. One more off the last ball and that’s a much better over.
This is a timeout. Or Ad Break.
15th over: Mumbai 146-3 (Rayudu 18, Pollard 8) Smith’s reward for a fine first over is another. He starts well enough, getting nudged for a couple from the third ball and giving away nowt from the two before that, but then Rayudu clears his front leg and slogs over midwicket for six. A drive out to deep mid off is very well cut off by the fielder out there and they get a couple more, then Rayudu hooks between two fielders converging at midwicket for the third two of the over.
14th over: Mumbai 134-3 (Rayudu 6, Pollard 8) Pollard hammers a couple of cuts out to point as Bravo offers him width, but can’t beat the deep point fielder either time. He then tries to hook a bouncer from a long way outside off and gets a top edge that lands between two fielders at deep square leg. Two for that and four for the next shot, a better one, run neatly down to third man.
13th over: Mumbai 125-3 (Rayudu 4, Pollard 1) Dwayne Smith is on for a rare bowl, and it pays dividends straight away – both set batsmen have now gone in consecutive balls. The new man, Ambati Rayudu drives to cover where Raina makes a brilliant stop, but then he spoils it by throwing wildly and allowing the batsmen through for a buzzer. A drive to extra cover brings two more and there’s a single from the last. All of which means we have our first boundary-free over since the very first of the innings.
A poll says that 64% of viewers think Shane Warne should play in next year’s IPL. Who are these people?!
Updated
Wicket! Simmons b D Smith 68
Simmons looks to run it down to third man, but Smith’s yorker moves away a touch and just clips off stump!
12th over: Mumbai 120-2 (Simmons 68, Pollard 0) Dwayne Bravo is on a little earlier than you’d normally expect, but he too his cut hard behind point first ball for four, by Rohit this time. They are struggling badly with the sound on TV, with every instruction from the producer being broadcast nice and clear. Full and wide from Bravo and Rohit rockets him through cover for four, bringing up a 25-ball fifty. Ah but that’s the end of the fun.
Wicket! Rohit c Jadeja b Bravo 50
Rohit goes down on one knee and slog sweeps a slower ball, but doesn’t quite get hold of it and Jadeja holds on at mid one.
11th over: Mumbai 110-1 (Simmons 67, Rohit 41) “Here, have four runs,” says Ravi Jadeja, sending down a low full toss that Simmons nails through midwicket on the sweep, bringing up the 100 partnership. Four runs, all in singles, separate that boundary off the first ball and the one off the last, which is cut nicely behind square to the rope. Also we can hear the producer on commentary issuing instructions to the cameramen.
10th over: Mumbai 98-1 (Simmons 57, Rohit 39) Mohit Sharma comes back after being plundered for 16 in his first. Rohit drives classily to deep extra cover for a single, then Simmons gets to his fifty in fortuitous fashion, a leading edge just evading the dive of the man at point and allowing him to scamper back and forth for two. Much more convincing next up, as Mohit drops short and wide and gets cut hard through point for four more. Three from the last two balls.
9th over: Mumbai 88-1 (Simmons 48, Rohit 38) This is relentless. Two singles, a dot, then another massive strike as Simmons shimmies forward and clears long on for the fifth six of the day. Somehow, it feels like more than that. Don’t forget, Kieron Pollard is still to come. 10 off the over, which is only a fraction over the innings run rate.
8th over: Mumbai 78-1 (Simmons 40, Rohit 36) Another change as CSK desperately try to find a way to put a lid on things; Ashwin on for his second over after conceding 12 from his first. Simmons is busy at the crease, but can only get a single to leg from the first three deliveries. Another dot, but then the fifth ball of the over is tossed up on Rohit Sharma’s pads and smashed with the turn, deep into the stands beyond midwicket. Two from the last ball.
Updated
7th over: Mumbai 69-1 (Simmons 39, Rohit 28) Well that was an alright powerplay for Mumbai, wasn’t it? Negi is into the attack now to offer a bit more left-arm spin. Singles from the first three, then short and wide to Simmons and you know what that means: a lovely late cut behind point for four. They go up for LBW next ball, but it was going well down the leg side. One more to Simmons to finish.
6th over: Mumbai 61-1 (Simmons 33, Rohit 26) Into the firing line comes Jadeja and Simmons mullers a slog sweep over cow corner for four, first ball, to bring up the 100 partnership. Three dots, darted into the pads, from Ravi, but he then puts one in the slot that gets smashed high in the air and over the long on fence. Full toss next and Simmons doesn’t quite get hold of it, but there’s no one at long on and it bounces just inside the rope before continuing on its way for four.
5th over: Mumbai 47-1 (Simmons 19, Rohit 26) It’ll be a third over for Nehra. He begins with a bouncer that takes Dhoni by surprise; the keeper fumbles, then misses the stumps with his throw as the batsmen steal a bye. Rohit runs the next ball down to third man for a single, then, after a couple of dots, Simmons gets nicely on top of a hook shot and gets it down, past short fine leg and down to the fence for four. Shot, that.
4th over: Mumbai 40-1 (Simmons 14, Rohit 25) We’re getting spin now, with Ashwin, and Simmons gets his first boundary of the day off his first ball; sweeping it hard to the vacant fine leg region. That most heinous of sins – a front foot no ball from a spinner – gives Simmons a free hit: it’s a shin-high full toss and Simmons whacks it straight back down the ground for six! Three dots and a single follow, but that’s 12 from the over.
3rd over: Mumbai 28-1 (Simmons 3, Rohit 25) Simmons takes a single from the first ball, the Rohit pulls hard, just through the hands of Negi at mid on and away for four! Rohit is in the mood tonight, by the looks of things. He drives a full one on off through some woolly fielding by Bravo at cover for another boundary; that was the kind of length we were praising the bowlers for in the Test this morning, but it’s eminently hittable here. He runs a single down to third man, then Simmons is saved by a mishit, mistiming a hook that doesn’t carry to fine leg.
2nd over: Mumbai 17-1 (Simmons 1, Rohit 16) From the other end, it’s Mohit Sharma. That really was stunning fielding from du Plessis: diving, picking it up and flicking the throw out the back of the hand all in one movement. Here, Mohit drops short and Rohit carves him up and over third man for the first six of the day. The next ball is wide again, but fuller and the batsman cuts again, deftly, well wide of slip and along the ground for four. Two runs now down to fine leg as a bottom edge skips past the stumps and runs down to fine leg. More width and another cut, this time in front of point, hard and away for four. 16 from an over that opened with a pair of dots.
WATCH | Faf du Plessis' world-class run out: pic.twitter.com/Dg8i7oQakA
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) May 24, 2015
1st over: Mumbai 1-1 (Simmons 1, Rohit 0) Ashish Nehra to open to Simmons. The West Indian is off the mark with a thick inside edge down to fine leg while trying to drive through off, for one, second ball. Some brilliant work in the field by Faf du Plessis though sees Patel go without scoring; he didn’t even consider the dive by the looks of things. Rohit Sharma comes in and leaves the last ball of the over alone.
Wicket! Patel run out 0
Parthiv Patel pushes to Faf du Plessis at mid on and sets off for a quick single. He’s fast, but Faf’s pick up and diving throw is quite brilliant and clips the top of the stumps with Patel well short!
This seems to be a common sentiment.
Not too bothered who wins the IPL this year. Have barely been able to get into it. Kind of hope for #CSK due to the Indian talent they have
— Jack Mendel (@JackMendel4) May 24, 2015
Here we go. There are literal fireworks on the outfield – the only surprising thing is that I’m surprised.
For those of you interested in stats:
Results in #IPL finals #CSK won 2 (2010, 2011), lost 3 (2008, 2012, 2013) #MI won 1 (2013), lost 1 (2010) #CSKvMI
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 24, 2015
I’m not convinced this means anything at all really. Especially this season, where you can never really tell who’s going to win in any given match (unless it’s featuring Kings XI Punjab – they were rubbish).
We have cricket on TV! From what I’ve seen there’s the odd crack in the pitch, so the likes of Ashwin and Harbhajan could well enjoy this.
Er, the TV channel is still tuned to the F1. I’ve asked for it to be changed, so I’m going to go and grab a tea then come back and hope it’s changed.
The teams
They are unchanged. So Alex Hales has had a nice little sojourn out to India, hasn’t he?
Mumbai Indians: LMP Simmons, PA Patel†, RG Sharma*, KA Pollard, HH Pandya, AT Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, J Suchith, MJ McClenaghan, R Vinay Kumar, SL Malinga
Chennai Super Kings: DR Smith, MEK Hussey, F du Plessis, SK Raina, MS Dhoni*†, P Negi, DJ Bravo, RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, A Nehra, MM Sharma
The toss
MS Dhoni wins it and elects to bowl first. Mumbai will, obviously, bat.
It should be a good one for batting tonight. Kolkata isn’t exactly the most demanding ground for batsmen – even Ravi Ashwin has a hundred here! – and there’s nothing overhead to suggest that strokeplay will be especially risky.
Preamble
Afternoon folks. I’ll level with you: at times it’s been tough to hype this competition up, especially when going up against Test matches, the latest of which is rather glorious. But not this time. This is the big one, the grand finale: if you need me to even make mention of what’s at stake, you’re probably reading the wrong article.
“I’ve never been here before,” sang the Stereophonics in 1999, but that doesn’t really apply to this one. In 2013, CSK beat Mumbai in the first qualifier before meeting them again in the final, with Mumbai coming out on top. This time around, it was the Indians who came through that first qualifier, so CSK will be hoping that the same, inverted pattern follows.
Mumbai are in scorching form, with three wins in a row and four from their last five matches. It’s actually quite remarkable that they’re here after losing their first four on the bounce, and five of their first six. Somehow, in many observers’ eyes, they are the favourites tonight.
In the, er, yellow corner, are the Super Kings, the actual favourites. They’ve lost McCullum, yes, they’ve lost quite a lot of matches, OK. But they still have an outstanding lineup, probably the strongest on paper from one to 11 in the whole damn thing, and MS Dhoni’s teams don’t tend to lose that many big matches.
This tournament has been sporadically entertaining. There’s been dross on show, a lot of it, but also the odd cracker. We’ve seen hilariously bad wickets, some terrible fielding cock-ups, but we’ve also had thrillingly close matches, some stunning innings featuring wonderfully innovative strokeplay and excellent bowling spells, largely from spinners. The really pleasing thing has been that matches that have been utter rubbish turn out to be thrillingly close finishes – RCB’s early win over the Sunrisers and CSK’s second qualifier win over the Royal Challengers stand out as examples. Let’s hope for an out-and-out cracker to end with though.
It should be warm, pretty clear and dry all night. Play gets underway at 8pm local time, which will be 3.30pm here in that London they have now. Toss and team news will be with you around half an hour before that, so why not spend some time listening to Paul McCartney some decent music? Here you go.
