CSK vs MI : When the lions found their roar back

CSK were back to their best after some stutter in the league phases and recorded a clinical win against the Mumbai Indians. It was a do or die match for both the teams who finished third and fourth in the league tables respectively and CSK showed why they have been so highly rated over the years.

The match could have been much different had Mumbai capitalized on the brilliant start that they got by Simmons and Hussey. Mumbai went from 140/2 in 16 overs to 173/8 in 20. The momentum was sapped from their innings towards the tail end and they fell sort by at least 20 runs considering the strong batting line-up that they possessed. Corey Anderson threatened some serious damage when he had raced to 20 of 9 balls before Ashwin got him to top-edge one and it was all downhill for the MI as CSK stifled them with their accuracy and clever changes of pace on a wicket which was gripping.

Mumbai who were bereft of Zaheer khan through injury and Malinga through international commitments might still have harbored ambitions of stopping Mumbai in their trails. The match was evenly poised at the halfway stage of Chennai innings when they were 87/3 with Raina and David Hussey at the crease and the wicket was showing signs of gripping and turning. Raina and Hussey however stood up and ensured there was no more casualty. Raina got going from the very start and Hussey gathered some momentum after initial stuttering and made easy work of the target which had begun to look competitive.

Chennai will now collide with the Kings XI for a place in the final and it should be a cracker of a game.