Chennai SuperKings Reign continues

Chennai Super Kings won a second successive Indian Premier League (IPL) title after thrashing Royal Challengers Bangalore by 58 runs in Saturday's final as openers Murali Vijay and Mike Hussey smashed half centuries.

Vijay (52-ball 95) and Australian Hussey (45-ball 63) vindicated captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bat first with an opening stand of 159 runs in just 14.5 overs in hot and humid conditions at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

Egged on by a capacity crowd at home, where the Chennai outfit have remained unbeaten in the fourth edition of the IPL, the openers hit nine sixes and seven boundaries between them as Bangalore's bowling completely fell apart.

Chennai lost quick wickets towards the end as they went for more runs but still managed to reach a mammoth total of 205 for the loss of five wickets.

Bangalore's only hope of pulling off an unlikely victory rested on big-hitting West Indian Chris Gayle but the tournament's top scorer fell in the first over for a duck to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ashwin picked up three wickets for just 16 runs off his four overs as the Chennai spinners picked up six out of the eight wickets that fell for the side led by Daniel Vettori.

Bangalore limped to 147 for eight wickets at the end of their 20 overs after being reduced to 70 for six at one stage.

Chennai Super Kings VS Royal Challengers Bangalore: Chennai Innings

According to details the skipper of Chennai Super Kings MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first.

Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay proved their leader’s assessment right by striking commanding strokes all around the ground.

The pair conducted precipitation of sixes and fours to amuse home crowd and concluded their fifties.

After the struggle of 14 overs, Syed Mohammad finally gave the first penetration by dismissing Michael Hussey for 63.

Murali Vijay suffered by nervous nineties was dismissed by Sreenath Aravind for 95.
Murali was irritating to guide the ball towards extra covers but he scooped his lofted shot off a wide one right off the bottom was comfortably caught by Daniel Vettori.

MS Dhoni was the third man to go, Aravind possessed him with the assistance of Virat Kohli for 22.

Gayle removed Suresh Raina and Albie Morkel for 8 and 2 runs respectively in the last over.

At the end of 20 overs, Chennai posted a colossal target of 205 for 5 on the scoreboard.

Chennai Super Kings VS Royal Challengers Bangalore: Bangalore Innings

The start of Royal Challenger innings was very disappointing and Ashwin picked up the most wanted wicket of Chris Gayle on the fourth delivery of innings.

Ashwin struck back sturdily in next over and scolded the stumps of Mayank Agarwal for 10.

After losing two quick wickets, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli lead Bangalore’s recovery by stitching 36 runs mutually.

Shadab Jakati disinterested de Villiers and Luke Pomersbach for 18 and 2 runs, impelling Bangalore into further plights.

The resistance of Virat Kohli was ended by Raina for 32, leaving Royal Challengers 69-5. After Kohli’s dismissal it seemed hard for Bangalore to come back in the match again.

Daniel Vettori (0),. Abhimanyu Mithun (11) and were removed for 0 and 11 runs respectively.

Saurabh Tiwary, along with Zaheer Khan attempted to reduce the deficit and shared 38 runs for the eighth wicket.

The story of Zaheer was wrecked by Doug Bollinger for 21, which he scored after facing the same number of balls.

Chivying towards a huge target, Bangalore desponded to 147-8 in précised 20 overs.

In reward to his splendid innings Murali Vijay was named for Man of the Match Award.

“The whole of India wanted the country to win the World Cup and we did. The fans were a bit emotionally drained after the World Cup to come out in large numbers initially in the IPL. But they later came out to watch the IPL,” the happy skipper MS Dhoni said in the presentation ceremony.