Ambati Rayudu smashed a 48-ball 71 to guide Chennai Super Kings to a comprehensive five-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the 13th IPL here on Saturday.

Chasing 163 to win, Rayudu blasted six fours and three sixes in his blitering innings, while Faf du Plessis cracked 58 off 44 balls as CSK romped home with four balls to spare.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians posted a challenging 162 for nine after Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl.

The highlight of Mumbai’s innings was Saurabh Tiwary’s 42 off 31 balls and Quinton de Kock’s 20-ball 33 at the top.

For CSK, Lungi Ngidi (3/38) was the most successful bowler while Ravindra Jadeja (2/42) and Deepak Chahar (2/32) captured two wickets apiece and Sam Curran (1/28) and Piyush Chawla (4/21) picked one each.

Brief Score:

Mumbai Indians: 162 for 9 in 20 overs (Saurabh Tiwary 42; Lungi Ngidi 3/38, Ravindra Jadeja 2/42).

Chennai Super Kings: 166 in 19.2 overs (Ambati Rayudu 71; Faf du Plessis 58; Trent Boult 1/23).

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s astute captaincy backed by some brilliant bowling at the back end saw Chennai Super Kings restrict Mumbai Indians to 162 for 9 despite some good start by their star-studded batting line-up in the opening IPL game here on Saturday.

CSK restricts MI to 162 in IPL opener

CSK’s new recruits leg-spinner Piyush Chawla (1/21 in 4 overs) and left-arm seamer Sam Curran (1/28 in 4 overs) made fantastic first impression while Lungi Ngidi (3/38 in 4 overs) and Deepak Chahar (2/32 in 4 overs) came back brilliantly during death overs.

For Mumbai Indians, Quinton de Kock (33 off 20 balls, 5x4) and Saurabh Tiwary (42 off 31 balls, 3x4, 1x6) played well but couldn’t convert their starts as the defending champions got only 76 runs in their back-10.

De Kock started in a blazing fashion as he launched straight into Chahar and Ngidi as 45 came off the first four overs.

The shrewd Dhoni then introduced Chawla into the attack and he right away dismissed Rohit Sharma (12) who always have had a problem with wrist spinners. It was a straight delivery that Rohit trying to hit inside out couldn’t get past Curran stationed at the mid-off circle.

The seamer then was back in action as he got rid of De Kock with a well dosguised off-cutter which he straight hit to Shane Watson at mid-wicket.

Suryakumar Yadav (17) and the giant Saurabh Tiwary (42 off 31 balls, 3x4, 1x6) added 44 to steady the ship but some good outfielding in the back-10 from the likes of Curran and Faf du Plessis had MI slump to 124 for 5 from 92 for two.

Tiwary as an anchor proved to be a decent choice as he hit the first six off this year’s IPL off Ravindra Jadeja. Someone who promised a lot was Hardik Pandya (14 off 10 balls) with a couple of lusty sixes off Jadeja but then Chawla bowled an ideal length to keep him quiet.

The patience went off and Jadeja reaped the reward when Hardik tried to hit a third six instead of rotating the strike and was holed out at the boundary line by Faf du Plessis.

Scoreboard of the opening IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings here on Saturday.

Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma c Sam Curran b Chawla 12

Quinton de Kock c Watson b Sam Curran 33

Suryakumar Yadav c Sam Curran b D Chahar 17

Saurabh Tiwary c du Plessis b Ravindra Jadeja 42

Hardik Pandya c du Plessis b Ravindra Jadeja 14

Kieron Pollard c Dhoni b Lungi Ngidi 18

Krunal Pandya c Dhoni b Lungi Ngidi 3

James Pattinson c du Plessis b Lungi Ngidi 11

Rahul Chahar not out 2

Trent Boult b D Chahar 0

Jasprit Bumrah not out 5

Extras: 5 (W-4, LB-1) 5

Total: (For 9 wkts, 20 Over) 162

Fall of Wickets: 46-1, 48-2, 92-3, 121-4, 124-5, 136-6, 151-7, 156-8, 156-9.

Bowler: Deepak Chahar 4-0-32-2, Sam Curran 4-0-28-1, Lungi Ngidi 4-0-38-3, Piyush Chawla 4-0-21-1, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-42-2.

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