IPL 2019, Match 44: Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians- When You Know the Wicket is Helping You Just Need to Bowl in the Right Areas Says Krunal Pandya
Apr 27, 2019 at 2:01 AM
Mumbai Indians all-rounder Krunal Pandya produced a terrific performance with the ball in hand as Mumbai Indians registered their 7th victory of Vivo IPL 12 after defeating Chennai Super Kings quite convincingly by 46 runs to get to the 2nd position in the IPL points table. Krunal Pandya bowled quite brilliantly and bagged two crucial wickets of Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav by conceding just 7 runs in his 3 overs.
It was an ideal pitch for Krunal Pandya to thrive on as the pitch had grip and bite. He bowled in the right areas and breached through the defence of Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav with exceptional deliveries. He was dismissed for one by Imran Tahir as he attempted to clear the ropes. In the post-match presentation, Krunal Pandya spoke on the pitch in Chennai and how he panned out to bag those crucial wickets in an important game for Mumbai.
“After playing at Wankhede when you play here, you feel good about it because the wicket is much slower. When you know the wicket is helping, you just need to bowl in the right areas. Today I tried that and hit that back of a length area – some were spinning while some kept straight. I wanted to bowl another over but our team winning is more important.
I knew how the wicket was playing so I was just trying to go after the bowlers, sometimes you click, sometimes you don’t. I am just happy with my thought process. It’s always good to play here compared to Wankhede and we might have to come here to play the first Qualifier. We know these conditions, that’ll help,” Krunal Pandya said.
Earlier in the day, it was the stand-in skipper Suresh Raina who won the toss and put the visitors in. After a great start provided by Rohit Sharma, Mumbai’s progress fizzed out a bit in the final overs as the CSK bowlers came back with a bang. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard struggled to hit the big shots. Eventually, they made a competitive score of 155 in their allotted 20 overs.
Chasing the target, CSK lost the way from the outset. Lasith Malinga bagged the wicket of Shane Watson in the pretty first over to put CSK in the backfoot. Wickets kept tumbling on a consistent basis as MI literally ran away with the game. Malinga was eventually the pick of the bowlers bagging 4 wickets. CSK were bowled out for 107 thus handing Mumbai a huge victory.