BANGALORE, India, CMC – Dwayne Bravo outshone West Indies teammates Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Smith as he produced a solid all-round performance to help propel Chennai Super Kings into the qualifying final of the Indian Premier League yesterday.
Playing in the second semi-final at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Chennai beat the powerful Mumbai Indians by 38 runs and will now meet Delhi Daredevils, the losers of the first semi-finals, for a place in Sunday’s grand final.
Sent in to bat, Chennai slumped to 114 for five at the start of the start of the 16th over despite Mike Hussey’s 49 and Subramaniam Badrinath’s 47.
Bravo then came to his side’s rescue, blasting an unbeaten 33 from 14 balls as he posted a rollicking, unbroken 73 for the sixth wicket with captain MS Dhoni whose unbeaten 51 came from just 21 balls.
The right-handed Bravo struck three fours and two sixes as Chennai tallied 187 for five from their allotted overs.
He was particularly destructive in the last over, twice clearing the ropes with medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni (3-46) in an over that cost 19 runs.
In Mumbai’s turn at the crease, Smith stroked a whirlwind 38, dominating an opening stand of 47 with batting legend Sachin Tendulkar (11) before the innings fell apart.
The right-handed Smith struck five fours and two sixes off 22 balls but perished along with Tendulkar in the space of 11 balls.
Bravo then bowled a brilliant spell to capture two for 10 from three overs, including the precious wicket of Pollard for 16, to put Chennai on course for victory.
