Records tumble at Wankhede as MI edge past CSK in a low-scoring thriller

Devon Conway endures a tough day

Devon Conway has been one of the most consistent batters for the Chennai Super Kings in the second half of the Indian Premier League. After smashing fifty-plus scores in the last three encounters, the defending champions relied heavily on him and Ruturaj Gaikwad to help the team get off to a flying start in the powerplay. 

However, after being asked to bat first by Rohit Sharma, the southpaw was adjudged LBW for a golden duck on the second ball of the innings to Daniel Sams. 

This was only the first instance for Conway in 111 innings to get out on the first ball he has faced in the shortest format. In 2011, plying his trade for Dolphins, he was run out without facing a delivery against the Titans. 

Chennai's horrific powerplay 

While Conway's wicket on the second ball jolted the reigning champions, Sams accounted for Moeen Ali a couple of balls later with a well-directed bouncer to derail the batting unit of the Super Kings. 

With two wickets in the first over followed by the wicket of Robin Uthappa in the second, Chennai crumbled under pressure and lost five wickets for 32 runs in the first six overs. 

Their horrific display with the bat at the Wankhede was the second-worst powerplay score for them across all the seasons. In 2020 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, they endured a similar outing and managed to crawl their way to 24 for the loss of five wickets, which is their worst powerplay performance. 

Bravo joins an elite list

The Yellow Army were tottering at 39 for six inside eight overs when Dwayne Bravo joined MS Dhoni out in the middle, hoping to arrest the slide. 

While the duo added 39 runs for the seventh wicket, Bravo was dismissed for 12 runs, ending Chennai's hope of rebuilding the innings. 

En route to his knock of 12 in 15 deliveries, Bravo joined his teammate Ravindra Jadeja to become only the second player to score over 1000 runs and take 100 plus wickets for Chennai. Sunil Narine has also achieved a similar feat for the Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Chennai succumb to another low 

After a dismal batting performance, Chennai were bundled out for 97 runs in the first innings, with Dhoni being the lone warrior of the side with an unbeaten 36 runs off 33 deliveries. 

Their poor outing with the bat resulted in Chennai succumbing to their second-lowest total in the history of the tournament. In 2013, against the same opposition and at the same venue, the Super Kings were dismantled for 79, which is their lowest total.

Mumbai's jittery start to the run chase

In pursuit of 98 runs, most people expected Mumbai to come out all guns blazing and wrap up an emphatic win. However, the five-time champions were also dented early in the powerplay, courtesy of the new ball attack of Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh. 

The duo bowled a fuller length and allowed the ball to swing, creating a lot of problems for the top order of the Mumbai side. While the left-arm pacer scalped the wicket of Ishan Kishan in the first over, Simarjeet got rid of the Mumbai skipper to hand a massive blow to the side. 

With 36 runs at the loss of four wickets at the end of the field restrictions, Mumbai accounted for their third-worst powerplay across all seasons. In 2016 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, they lost five wickets for 32 runs at Vizag, which is their worst performance in the powerplay. 

Powerplay woes at the forefront for both sides

It seldom happens that both the teams have struggled in the powerplay in a single match. However, such has been the form of the top order for both the sides that nine wickets tumbled across both the innings in the powerplay, which is the joint-most in an IPL match. 

In 2011, Kochi Tuskers and Deccan Chargers lost nine wickets in a game, followed by a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions where eight wickets fell in the first six overs.  

Wankhede witnesses a rare feat

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed a flurry of wickets as 15 wickets fell in a low scoring encounter. One of the rare features in this clash was that five batters were adjudged LBW, which is the joint-most in an IPL game. 

Mumbai Indians locked horns against the Knight Riders at the same venue in 2017, and that game witnessed five LBW dismissals as well.