Coached by ex-Blackcap skipper, Stephen Fleming, the Chennai Super Kings took out the opening match of the 2020 IPL season overnight, chasing down the Mumbai Indians' 163-run target with just four balls to spare.
Originally set to begin in late March, the IPL faced heavy delays before finally being relocated to Abu Dhabi due to the overwhelming nature of the Covid-19 pandemic in India.
After being put in to bat, the Mumbai Indian's suffered from an underwhelming top-order performance made even worse by a sluggish run-rate in the latter half of the innings, scoring just 41 runs off the last six overs.
Ending their innings on 162/9 Mumbai needed an early breakthrough which they got via a Trent Boult, dismissing Aussie opener Shane Watson in the first over by LBW.
Boult's efforts weren't enough however, with solid performances from Ambati Rayudu (71) and Faf du Plessis (58*) steadying the ship for Chennai and taking them home.
The Super Kings also benefitted from some great bowling in their first innings at the death which saw Mumbai's run rate plummet in the final stages of the first innings, notching just 41 runs in the last six overs.
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