VISAKHAPATNAM, India, CMC – Dwayne Bravo grabbed a brace of wickets in a miserly spell as his Chennai Super Kings booked a spot in tomorrow’s final of the Indian Premier League with a six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals here yesterday.
Chasing a modest 148 in the final qualifier at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, CSK reached their target with an over to spare, setting up a meeting with Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians in the championship game. It was Bravo’s spell which helped CSK early on as the veteran all-rounder snatched two for 19 from four excellent overs of medium pace to limit Capitals to 147 for nine off their 20 overs.
Rishabh Pant top-scored with 38 from 25 balls and Colin Munro struck 27 but no other batsman passed 20, as Capitals found it difficult to build partnerships.
Rookie West Indies and Guyana all-rounders Sherfane Rutherford (10) and Keemo Paul (3) failed to have any impact. In fact, it was Bravo who removed Paul in the 18th over, bowled by a pacy leg-stump yorker.
Bravo was supported by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2-23), seamer Deepak Chahar (2-28) and veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (2-31) all of whom finished with two wickets each.
In reply, Australian Shane Watson and South African Faf du Plessis both struck 50 apiece in an 81-run, opening stand which laid the foundation for an easy run chase.
Paul proved expensive, conceding 49 runs from his three overs of medium-fast bowling.
