IPL: Bravo among the wickets as Chennai win

Dwayne Bravo put the brakes on Delhi Capitals to set up a six-wicket Indian Premier League win for Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday.  The Super Kings produced a brilliant bowling performance to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in their first match of the tournament, bowling their opponents out for 70, and they were on the money again to make it two victories out of two.

Delhi lost their way on a slow and low track at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground after Bravo (3-33) dismissed the dangerous Rishabh Pant and Colin Ingram in the 16th over.

There was to be no late onslaught for a Capitals side that won their first game, Shikhar Dhawan also falling to Bravo for 51 in their total of 147-6.

Ravindra Jadeja recorded figures of 1-23 from his four overs after Deepak Chahar put the squeeze on at the start of the Delhi innings, claiming 1-20.

Shane Watson made 44 to get Chennai off to a strong start and MS Dhoni was unbeaten on 32, with Bravo hitting the winning runs in the final over.

CHAHAR SETS THE TONE

While Bravo claimed key wickets later in the innings, it was a disciplined spell from Chahar that kept Delhi in check. The seamer bowled his four-over allocation straight through, conceding just two boundaries and limiting the Capitals’ gains with 12 dot balls.

Chahar deserved more than just the one wicket he claimed, which came in the fifth over when Prithvi Shaw (24) was taken by Watson at midwicket.

BRAVO’S BURST TOPPLES CAPITALS

All-rounder Bravo’s first over went for 17 runs as Dhawan and Pant attempted to provide some impetus to the innings. Bravo responded by removing Pant – who had made a match-winning 78 not out against Mumbai Indians – for 25, with Shardul Thakur taking the catch at deep square leg to prompt a dance from the West Indian.

Ingram followed two balls later, picking out Suresh Raina in the covers to leave Delhi on 122-4, and Thakur clung on again to see the back of Dhawan, who hit seven boundaries in his half-century.

WATSON, DHONI DELIVER YET AGAIN

Watson and Dhoni showed there is no substitute for experience in the Super Kings’ successful run chase.

Former Australia all-rounder Watson flexed his muscles at the top of the order, smashing three sixes in a swashbuckling 26-ball knock before he was brilliantly stumped by Pant off Amit Mishra (2-35).

Raina and Kedar Jadhav chipped in with 30 and 27 respectively, but it was Dhoni who thrived in the role of finisher yet again, frustrating Delhi on a testing track before Bravo whipped Kagiso Rabada for four to win it with two balls to spare. (Sportsmax)