Two years ago, Chennai Super Kings were left disappointed with yet another defeat in the final.

Mumbai Indians had defeated the Super Kings in the 2015 edition to lift the title. It was Super Kings’ fourth loss in the final. No team had ended up losing so many title-deciders in the history of the IPL than CSK.

A couple of months later, they suffered another heartbreak. The Supreme Court banned the franchise for a couple of years on corruption charges.

It was a long wait for the fans which came to an end on Sunday. And it is safe to say the wait was worth it. The Super Kings were up against defending champions Mumbai Indians in the comeback game. And they marked their arrival in style, beating the formidable hosts by one wicket.

The credit for the win should go to Dwayne Bravo. At 118 for eight in 17th over, the game was very much in Mumbai’s favour. However, Bravo played a blinder, scoring 68 off 30 to guide his team to a stunning win.

Speaking after the game, he expressed his delight over starting the tournament with a win. He then dedicated the win to the fans.

“A win is a win. That is the most important thing. It is good to start well in any tournament and to beat Mumbai in their own backyard is always a special feeling,” he said.

“This is for fans. They were waiting for this moment for two years now. Even though we played at Wankhede, there were a lot of CSK fans. It is a nice feeling being backed and loved by so many people. It was a special game for all of us. I am happy that we won,” he added.

Speaking about his own batting, the allrounder said: “I was hitting the ball well in the nets. I tried to keep calm and not to worry about what is going around me. Just play in my zone, and to my strength and tonight, it worked. It is a good start, and hopefully, I can continue in the tournament in the same form.”