New Delhi: Mumbai Indians outclassed Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs to win IPL 2015. After a strong batting display by Lendl Simmons and Rohit Sharma, the MI bowlers defender their daunting total of 2012 without too many problems.
MI vs CSK - As it happened...
CSK Innings
Over 20 | Score 161/8
Vinay Kumar bowled the final over. Mohit's two 6's and a four made no difference to the final outcome. MI win!
Over 19 | Score 140/8
McGlenaghan came back into the attack. His length ball was hit by Ashwin straight into the hands of Suchith at wide long-on. CSK are heading to a huge defeat at Eden Gardens.
Ashwin c Suchith b McClenaghan 2 (4b)
Over 18 | Score 137/7
Malinga continued. He drew a leading edge off Negi's bat, with the ball going into the safe hands of Pandya at point. CSK are now going through the motions.
Negi c Pandya b Malinga 3 (5b)
Over 17 | Score 132/6
Vinay Kumar came back into the attack. He dismissed Faf as the South African went in search of quick runs. The right-hander spooned a simple catch to Rohit at extra cover.
F du Plessis c Sharma b Vinay Kumar 1 (3b)
Over 16 | Score 128/5
Malinga was brought back into the attack. The pacer missed his yorker and Dhoni clobbered the ball over long-on for a six. However, the Sri Lanka didn't miss his length again and yorked Dhoni. The ball ricocheted off the CSK's skipper's pads and onto the stumps.
Dhoni b Malinga 18 (13b)
Over 15 | Score 112/4
McGlenaghan was brought back into the attack. After being hit for a six straight back over his head, the Kiwi exacted revenge by dismissing Bravo. The West Indian was caught at third man as he tried to hit a delivery that was angled away from him by from McGlenaghan. Pawan Negi is the new man in for CSK.
Bravo c Simmons b McClenaghan 9 (6b)
Over 14 | Score 102/3
Bhajji continued. On seeing Raina step out, the off-spinner fired in the ball wide. Patel collected cleanly and stumped the left-hander who was well out of his crease. Excellent bowling by the veternan.
Raina st Patel b Harbhajan Singh 28 (19b)
Over 13 | Score 98/2
Pandya continued. The medium pacer completed his quota of four overs. With Rohit hesitant to bring on Suchith considering Raina's presence, Pandya seems to have done a fair job for his captain.
Over 12 | Score 89/2
Bhajji continued. The off-spinner trapped Smith lbw, giving MI a much-needed breakthrough. MS Dhoni walked out to the middle after CSK lost their 2nd wicket.
Smith lbw b Harbhajan Singh 57 (48b)
Over 11 | Score 81/1
Pandya continued. Smith welcomed him with a short-arm pull to pierce the ball between deep square and deep midwicket for a four. Raina then pulled a short ball through square leg for another boundary. The West Indian capped off a productive over with his second four in the over, also bringing up his fifty.
Over 10 | Score 67/1
Bhajji continued. Despite bowling a very tight over, the off-spinner conceded a six off his last ball. Raina, quiet until then, stepped out and sweetly timed the ball over long-on for a maximum.
Over 9 | Score 57/1
Pandya continued. He fired in two quick bouncers to take Raina and Smith by surprise on his first and second ball respectively. The West Indian then clobbered an over-pitched ball through mid-off and extra cover for a boundary.
Over 8 | Score 50/1
Spin, in the form of Harbhajan Singh, was introduced for the first time by MI. Smith played a lovely reverse-sweep on the first ball to pick up four runs down to the third man region. The right-hander capped off the off-spinner's over with a heave over deep-midwicket for another four.
Over 7 | Score 38/1
Hardik Pandya was brought into the attack by Rohit. The medium-pacer fired in a short ball, which was played past fine leg by Smith with a short-arm pull for a four. Pandya made a good comeback, conceding just three singles post that boundary.
Over 6 | Score 31/1
Vinay Kumar continued. The Karnataka pacer bowled an excellent second over, giving away just 5 runs. After the end of Powerplay, MI were 61/2 as compared to CSK's 31/1.
Over 5 | Score 26/1
McGlenaghan came back into the attack. Hussey's drive went straight into the hands of Suchith at cover-point. It was a low catch, which is why the third umpire was referred to before giving the batsman out. Raina, the new man, was welcomed with a cracking bouncer by the Kiwi. The left-hander edged the the next ball, past the first-slip for a four to get off the mark.
Hussey c Suchith b McClenaghan 4 (9b)
Over 4 | Score 21/0
Vinay Kumar was introduced into the attack. After playing for dot ball, Hussey managed to hit the ball over extra cover to finally get off the mark.
Over 3 | Score 15/0
Malinga continued. The Sri Lanka bowled an excellent over to tie down the CSK duo to just 3 runs. Hussey is yet to open his account.
Over 2 | Score 12/0
Mitchell McGlenaghan shared the new ball for MI. Smith went for a hit over midwicket, but top edged the ball over the keeper's head for six.
Over 1 | Score 5/0
Lasith Malinga took the new ball for MI. Dwayne Smith and Michael Hussey opened the innings for CSK. Smith got off the mark, picking up four runs, past past cover.
MI Innings
Over 20 | Score 202/5
Bravo bowled the last over. Despite losing Pandya for a duck, Harbhajan's six and four leg byes helped MI cross the 200-run mark in this big final.
Pandya c Raina b Bravo 0 (2b)
Over 19 | Score 191/4
Mohit came back into the attack. Rayudu channeled his inner De Villiers to go over short fine leg, going down on one knee outside his off-stump, for a six. Tendulkar got off his seat and said "OH WOW".
But MI lost their star man Pollard as he mishit a delivery straight to Raina at deep cover.
Pollard c Raina b Sharma 36 (18b)
Over 18 | Score 183/3
Bravo back on. Rayudu picked up a slow ball and hit it over cover for a six. Great shot from him considering the Bravo bowled it round the stumps, angling it away from the batsman. Another slower ball from the West Indian almost got rid off Rayudu, only for Smith to drop a very simple catch at long-on.
Over 17 | Score 173/3
Nehra came back into the attack. His length ball was clobbered by Pollard for a six over midwicket. The West Indian power-hitter didn't stop there, as he hit a four and two 6's off the last 3 balls of the 17th over. Incredible hitting from the big man!
Over 16 | Score 150/3
Mohit Sharma was brought back into the attack. The pacer bowled an excellent over, conceding just 4 runs. It probably was the best over by a CSK bowlers in terms of the runs scored since the 1st one.
Over 15 | Score 146/3
Smith continued. His length ball outside off was pummeled for a six by Rayudu with a slog-sweep this over midwicket.The partnership between Pollard and Rayudu is crucial for MI.
Over 14 | Score 134/3
Bravo continued. Pollard guide a short and wide delivery from the pacer between the point and short third man for a much-needed four. The momentum had slipped away from MI after the two quick dismissals.
Over 13 | Score 125/3
Dwayne Smith was introduced into the attack by MSD. He yorked the set batsman Simmons, as the ball struck the outside of the off-stump, completely missing the bat. Back-to-back wickets (last ball of 12th over & 1st ball of 13th over) for CSK. This is a twist in the tale.
Simmons c Dhoni b Smith 68 (45b)
Over 12 | Score 120/2
Dwayne Bravo was brought into the attack by MSD. Rohit cut the pacer's wide delivery past point for a four. Not many batsmen play that short better than the MI skipper. The timing on that shot was simply superb. He brought up his 25-ball fifty with a drive through the covers for a four. However on the very next ball, Rohit mistimed a shot and popped a catch straight to long-on. Huge wicket for CSK!
Sharma c Jadeja b Bravo 50 (26b)
Over 11 | Score 110/1
Jadeja is back on. He started off badly by bowling a leg-side full toss to Simmons, which was easily swept away for a four. The West Indian ended the over just like how we started it - with a boundary. The right-hander played a delightful late cut, between point and short third man, off a short and wide delivery from the spinner. Poor bowling by Jadeja.
Over 10 | Score 98/1
Mohit Sharma was brought back into the attack. Simmons played a fierce cut off a short and wide delivery from the pacer for a boundary. On the previous ball, Mohit induced a leading edge off the West Indians bat that was put down by Negi wide of backward point. Great effort from Negi, but his diving effort was not good enough.
Over 9 | Score 88/1
Negi continued. Simmons danced down the track and planted the ball into the crowd over long-on for his third six. The West Indian has taken calculated risk so far and that approach seems to have paid off for him.
Over 8 | Score 78/1
Ravi Ashwin was brought back into the attack. Rohit stepped out and clobbered the off-spinner's flight delivery, with the turn, over the midwicket for a big six. The MI skipper looks in fine nick on his favorite hunting ground.
Over 7 | Score 69/1
Spin from both ends now being employed by MS Dhoni, as he threw the ball to Pawan Negi.The spinner's short,wide delivery was deservedly punished for a four by Simmons who rocked on to his back foot and played a fine cut shot.
Eden Gardens is truly one of the greatest sporting venues in the world. The Colosseum of cricket is buzzing!
Love Eden Gardens. NZ never get to play here. Truly is one of the world's great cricket stadiums especially full for a final #IPL
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) May 24, 2015
Immense excitement, packed stadium & two great teams @IPL Final. Enjoy the game, may the best team win tonight! @BCCI
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) May 24, 2015
Over 6 | Score 61/1
Ravindra Jadeja was introduced into the attack by MS Dhoni. Simmons went after the spinner, hitting a four and two 6's in his first over. MI managed to score 61 runs in the Poweplay. Great start for the batting, after losing a wicket in the first over, in this big final.
Over 5 | Score 47/1
Nehra continued. Simmons showed great awareness to guide the ball wide of the fielder at fine-leg. The pacer is disappointed with himself after bowling a tight line in the early part of the over.
Over 4 | Score 40/1
Spin was introduced for the first time in the match as Ravichandran Ashwin came on to bowl. The off-spinner overstepped to give away a free-hit to Simmons. The resulting full toss was easily dispatched for a six, straight back over the bowler's head by the West Indian. Poor stuff from Ashwin.
Over 3 | Score 28/1
Nehra continued. Rohit decided to take him on by pulling the a length ball over the outstretched hand of Pawan Negi at midwicket for a four. The right-hander then played a lovely cover drive for another boundary, with a bit of help from Dwayne Smith who wasn't as committed as he should have been.
Over 2 | Score 17/1
Mohit Sharma shared the new ball with Nehra. Rohit upper-cut a short ball from the pacer over third-man to open his account with a six. The right-hander then guide a slightly wide delivery down to the same region for his first four of the innings. The MI skipper capped off the productive over with a cracking shot through cover-poitn for another boundary.
Over 1 | Score 1/1
Ashish Nehra bowled the first over in the big final. Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel opened the batting for MI. Catastrophe struck the opening par as the incredible Faf du Plessis' genius bit of fielding resulted in Patel's run-out. The left-hander is out for a duck. Rohit Sharma has to arrive in the middle earlier than expected.
Patel run out 0 (3b)
Toss and team news
CSK won the toss and opted to bowl first. No changes made by either captain to his side from the last match.
MI XI: L Simmons, P Patel, R Sharma, K Pollard, H Pandya, A Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, J Suchith, M McClenaghan, Vinay Kumar, L Malinga
CSK XI: D Smith, M Hussey, F du Plessis, S Raina, MS Dhoni, P Negi, D Bravo, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, A Nehra, M Sharma
"We are relaxed. This is Mumbai's championship to lose", says Ravichandran Ashwin.
Lovely set up, Mr. Miller!
Going to be a good IPL final tonight. Looking forward to it. Braai time then game time. @faf1307 @Kyle_Abbott87 pic.twitter.com/rfow0a5uTh
— David Miller (@DavidMillerSA12) May 24, 2015
No prizes for guessing who the injured Aaron Finch is rooting for in the big final.
Good luck to the @mipaltan tonight! I loved every minute of my time with the team and shattered I can't be there! #IPL #ApunKaSuperstar
— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) May 24, 2015
Nice touch from RCB skipper Virat Kohli.
We had a good run this IPL. Fought until the last ball. Well done team @RCBTweets. All the best to @mipaltan & @ChennaiIPL for today's game
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 24, 2015
Match details
Match Officials
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL), Richard Illingworth(Eng)
Third Umpire: Vineet Kulkarni (Ind)
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL)
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Date: May 24, 2015
Time: 20:00 IST
Weather: Humid with a ten percent chance of rain around 9 PM.
Match preview
Ever since the 2013 spot-fixing scandal, controversy has dogged Chennai Super Kings and this season too the undervaluation of the franchise acquisition to a trust for Rs 5 lakh came under the Enforcement Directorate scanner. But it was nowhere close to the furore that was generated in 2013.
Season eight was not entirely free of drama with reports of a bookie approach, some ugly on-field brawls and breach of protocols.
Also see: IPL 2015 Full Coverage
In the middle of all this, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK has gone about their job with absolute precision.
This will be another shot at redemption for Dhoni's men, who were denied a third title by Mumbai Indians at the same venue, on May 26, two years ago.
Table toppers CSK had lost to second-placed Mumbai Indians by 25 runs in the first qualifier but they won when it mattered the most -- in the second qualifier last night -- to make their sixth final appearance in eight attempts.
Fresh from their three-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ranchi, CSK will be in red hot form while Mumbai Indians, who got a four-day rest after directly advancing into the final, may have to watch out for complacency.
CSK are a team known to keep their nucleus intact and this season too they have some senior players who are getting the job done, and if one adds the 'Dhoni Touch' then the yellow brigade looks invincible.
Also see: IPL 2015 Photos
Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra, who clinched the man of the match against RCB for his 3/28, has been a revelation with 22 wickets to his tally.
They also have one Mr Cricket, and a familiar Aussie, who will turn 40 in four days time.
Playing his third match this season, Michael Hussey stood in the path of the spirited Kohli's men with a defiant 56 in their modest chase of 140, and while fielding he gave more than 100 per cent in an age-defying display.
Having clinched their maiden title here in 2013, Mumbai Indians' road to the final has been typical -- rising like the proverbial phoenix.
Having suffered five losses from first six matches that included a four-match losing streak to kick off season eight, MI showed resilience winning seven of their last eight matches to finish the league stage on a high.
In their last league, which was a do-or-die contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad, MI dished out their best this season, destroying their opponents for 113 and then chased it down with more than six overs to spare.
Also see: CSK Team Profile
MI will be looking forward to play at the venue where they tasted their maiden success and where their skipper Rohit Sharma had scored an ODI world record 264 against Sri Lanka in November last year.
Openers Parthiv Patel and Lendl Simmons have also struck a good balance. Simmons has been in red hot form with the five fifties -- the most by a Mumbai batsman in a single edition of the IPL along with JP Duminy (2009) and Sachin Tendulkar (2010).
This will be MI's third final and they had faced the same opponents on both the previous occasions -- in 2010 they had lost to CSK by 22 runs while in 2013 they won by 23 runs.
As for the battle inside the battle, the Eden track, which has been conducive to slow bowling, will pit two India off-spinners against each other in one of the most tempting contests.
Making a grand comeback to the Test side, Harbhajan Singh, who has had some memorable moments at the ground including a hattrick, will look forward to cast his magic for MI, while Dhoni will be reliant on R Ashwin.
As the track for the final will be a "fresh and sporting one", there will be plenty in the offing for the pacers as well.
Also see: MI Team Profile
Lasith Malinga, who had uprooted Hussey's leg-stump with a toe-crushing yorker in the final two years ago, will once again be looking to give MI early breakthroughs.
The CSK pace duo of Dwayne Bravo and Nehra will also have their hands full as they also will be eyeing the Purple Cap for the leading wicket-taker.
MI's Kieron Pollard had scored a match-winning 60 not out in the 2013 final as the Windies big hitter will be a vital cog in their wheel, as the likes of Dhoni and Raina for the CSK.
