Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, Final - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: Indian Premier League 2015 Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata Date & Time: May 24, 08:00 PM LOCAL

Parthiv was run-out for zero. © Cricbuzz

As the dust settles on another frenetic season of Indian Premier League (IPL), the usual suspects - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians - remain the last teams standing. Statistically, the two most successful sides (most number of matches won) in the tournament history, CSK and MI have pushed boundaries and unravelled newer dimensions of the T20 format with each passing encounter. The next chapter of this rivalry features a battle for the coveted IPL trophy, something these two sides have fought for twice before.

58 matches and 43 days after after the tournament opener, Mumbai Indians return to the grandest stage of Indian Cricket at the Eden Gardens, hoping to complete their remarkable turnaround - a run that has seen them upset the odds and become the first team to qualify for the final despite suffering losses in each of their first four games, including the opener in Kolkata.

Chennai Super Kings meanwhile, like only then can do, sauntered through the group stages and despite not being at their best, have found ways to win the matches that matter. Remarkably, they now find themselves in their sixth final in the tournament's eight-year history. However, since their win in 2011, they have lost two subsequent finals, including one against Mumbai Indians in 2013, and would dearly want to put one past their arch-rivals en route their third title.

In chase of 203, it was imperative for Chennai Super Kings to get off to a good start, but that was not be as the openers Michael Hussey and Dwayne Smith were contained by Mumbai Indians new ball bowlers, Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan and CSK never were able to recover fro mthe slow start. The follow-up bowlers did exceedingly well to keep a leash on Dwayne Smith and even though he scored 57, he consumed 48 balls. Harbhajan Singh dealt the decisive blows by removing Smith and Raina and Malinga drove the final nail in CSK's coffin by removing MS Dhoni.

But the foundation of the win was laid by Rohit Sharma (50) and Lendl Simmons (68), who counter-attacked superbly combining for a 119-run stand for the second wicket before CSK hit back with the two Dwaynes - Bravo and Simth. But Ambati Rayudu (36*) and Kiern Pollard (36) hit some meaty blows in the end to help MI to a huge score, that in the end proved just too much for CSK.

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On what looked like a very dry Eden Gardens track, unchanged Chennai Super Kings opted to field first against Mumbai Indians, who are also unchanged.

Teams:

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Lendl Simmons, Parthiv Patel(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Jagadeesha Suchith, Vinay Kumar, Lasith Malinga, Mitchell McClenaghan

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Dwayne Smith, Michael Hussey, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Pawan Negi, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, Ashish Nehra

Captains speak:

MS Dhoni: 'It was good to play at home (against RCB in qualifier 2). We want to keep playing games, we had a good recovery yesterday. We didn't practice a lot, we have played a lot of cricket for the last two months. It is just a one-off game in the final, whoever performs better will become the champions. We will bowl first. The wicket look slightly sticky, but I don't think it will have a major impact. We have made no changes.'

Rohit Sharma: 'Ready to go. We had a very good preparation, it's pretty humid and we got a couple of days to prepare. It's a good hunting ground for me, but I want to do the best for my team. We won in 2013, it gives us another opportunity today. We would have batted first anyway. It's a big game and we would like to put the runs on the board first up. We are playing the same team.'

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Ashish Nehra started off the proceedings with the ball for Chennai Super Kings and it was Lendl Simmons who took the strike with Parthiv Patel at the non-striker's end and he gave away just a single in his first four balls, and the fifth produced a wicket courtesy the sensational Faf du Plessis. Parthiv got a thick outside edge and decided to take on du Plessis who was running in from mid-on and not many succeed in getting the better of the South African on the field. He hit the top of the stumps with the throw and Parthiv was well short of his crease.

In walked the skipper Rohit Sharma and after fending two back off length deliveries from Mohit Sharma he pounced on a short and wide delviery and hit it over the third man fence for a six. A four followed this time wide of the slips and the over was rounded off with another boundary past point. 16 runs came off the over as MI reached 17 for 1 after two overs.

The final of the Indian Premier League 2015 at the Eden Gardens between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings was kick started with National Anthem being played and it did feel a bit out of tune! Nevertheless, hope the match hits the right note.

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Rohit Sharma looked in good nick, but was cramped for space by a back of short ball from Ashish Nehra, but he managed to pull it just over the Pawan Negi at midwicket to take his third boundary of the match. A lovely shot followed with the Indian international leaning on to a wide delivery and taking four more runs. 11 runs came off the over.

Spin was introduced early in the form of Ravichandran Ashwin and as it would have it, he bowled a front foot and the subsequent free-hit - a full toss - was duly dispatched straight over the bowlers head by Lendl Simmons for a six. Just one more run came in the next four balls as MI reached 40 for 1 after four overs.

Lendl Simmons got in to the act taking a boundary off a short delviery from Ashish Nehra towards the fine leg boundary. But only seven runs came off the over.MS Dhoni decided to being on Ravindra Jadeja for the lat over of the Powerplay and Lendl Simmons winded one towards the cow corner for four. Jadeja followed it up with three dots and off the fifth ball, Simmons charged down the track and skied one up that made it across the ropes. A full toss followed and Simmons took a boundary straight over the bowlers' head. MI 61 for 1 after six over

CSK decided to regroup after giving away 61 runs in the powerplay overs by taking the strategic time-out early and MS Dhoni introduced his fifth bowler in the form of Pawan Negi from the high court end. Simmons took a boundary off the fourth over by rocking back to a back of length delivery and playing it late past the point fielder. Eight runs came off the over.

Ashwin was brought back in to the attack and with the fielder spread out he bowled four tidy balls, before Rohit Sharma danced down the track and with a perfect golf swing earned a six over long-on. Nine runs came off the over as MI reached 78 for 1 after eight overs.

Pawan Negi started his second over rather well giving away just two runs off the first three balls, but as has been the norm so far in the day, a boundary came when Lendl Simmons used his feet to reach to the pitch of the back of length delivery, hoisting the ball high over the long-on fence. 10 runs came off the over.

Off the the third ball of the 10th over, Simmons reached his fifty off just 35 balls with a brace and followed it up with a boundary towards the offside 10 runs came off the over as MI reached 98 for 1 at the halfway stage of their innings.

The runs continued to flow as Ravindra Jadeja's second over was taken for 12 runs. The over started with full toss being dispatched behind square for a boundary and ended with a long hop that was hit behind point. Four singles were sandwiched between the two boundaries.

Dwayne Bravo was introduced in to the attack early and he too started off by conceding a boundary to Rohit Sharma. Another four came off the fifth ball when Rohit smashed a length delivery to the point fence and reached his fifty off just 25 balls. But Bravo was successful in breaking the 120-run stand association. Rohit in a bid to clear mid-wicket with the lofted shot, hit it straight to Ravindra Jadeja at long-on. MI 120 for 2 after 12 overs.

MS Dhoni decide to gamble with Dwayne Smith and it worked when Smith send back his West Indian counterpart Lendl Simmons for 68. A cracker of a yorker that nipped back in and Simmons could only watch his stumps getting disturbed. Only five more runs came off the next five deliveries. The run-rate dipped with the departures off well-set Rohit Sharma and Lendl Simmons with Dwayne Bravo sending down his second over for nine runs - with a boundary coming off the last ball towards third man region by Kieron Pollard.

Dwayne Smith was back for his second over and he troubled Ambati Rayudu with some clever variations but conceded a six when Rayudu pounced on a fraction fuller delivery swiped it over deep midwicket for a six. 12 runs came off the over. Mohit Sharma returned for this third spell and managed to contain Kieron Pollard giving away just four runs. MI 150 for 3 after 16 overs.

The stage was set for a big Kieron Pollard flourish and MS Dhoni decided to bring back Ashish Nehra for his final over and Pollard hammered a length ball deep midwicket for a six and full length delivery aimed at middle and leg was flicked towards the on-side for a four. Nehra lost the plot completely and his full toss was dispatched over long-on for another six by Pollard. An outside of length delivery was lofted over the extra cover fence for a six as 23 runs came off the 17th over.

Ambati Rayudu did his bit with the bat taking a six off Dwayne Bravo over extra cover for a six and he was let off by Dwayne Smith at long-off. Rayudu was deceived by a slower one from Bravo and skied the ball high, but Smith grassed a simple catch. 10 runs came off the over.

Ambati Rayudu upped the ante with a six akin to AB de Villiers over square to outscore Kieron Pollard at the other end. Rayudu went across early and seeing that Mohit Sharma pulled his length back but Rayudu managed to connect his swipe and earned half a dozen over deep square leg. But it was a happy ending for Mohit as he took the wicket Pollard (36 off 18 balls), caught at deep extra cover.

Dwayne Bravo was entrusted to bowl the final over and he started off with a block hole delivery aimed at Hardik Pandya's pads for a dot. Off the next ball, Pandya was caught superbly by Suresh Raina at deep midwicket. Harbhajan Singh walked out to the middle and cleared his front leg to hoist one over the extra cover fence for a six. A leg bye in the next ball that foxed MS Dhoni helped MI to a boundary and that took MI past the 200-run mark. MI finished with 202 for five in their 20 overs.

After Faf du Plessis provided CSK with a terrific start by running out Parthiv Patel in the first over, Rohit Sharma (50) and Lendl Simmons (68) counter-attacked superbly combining for a 119-run stand for the second wicket before CSK hit back with the two Dwaynes - Bravo and Simth. But Ambati Rayudu (36*) and Kiern Pollard (36) his some meaty blows in the end to help MI to a huge score.

In defence of 202, Lasith Malinga started with a low full toss that was defended well by Dwayne Smith, but off the third ball he pierced the offside gap to earn a boundary towards extra cover. A single came off the last ball.

Mitchell McClenaghan shared the new ball with Malinga and he did well to give away seven runs. Dwayne Smith managed to take a six, but off a top edge that flew over wicketkeepers' head.

Lasith Malinga continued his good start and gave away just three runs. Hussey is yet to get off the mark. Vinay Kumar was brought in as the first change bowler and too started well as Hussey kept playing and missing. Vinay conceded one wide and and five runs. Hussey hit a length delivery off the last ball to a boundary.

With jusst 21 on board after four overs, pressure was telling on Michael Hussey and he hit a length ball outside off from McClenaghan straight to Jagadeesha Suchith at point. There was a bit of confusion on whether the ball had bounced before being taken by Suchith, but the replays confirmed that the fielder had taken it clearly. Hussey departed for four off nine deliveries. In walked Suresh Raina was McClenaghan greeted his with a short delivery. Rain however got off the mark courtesy a edge that raced to the third man boundary for a four.

Vinay Kumar's first ball took an edge off Dwayne Smith and the ball flew over the point region for a boundary but proceeded to concede just one more run in the over. CSK 31 for 1 after six overs.

Hardik Pandya was introduced in to the attack and Dwayne Smith took a boundary off the first ball pulling the back of a length delivery behind square, but Pandya managed to contain Smith thereafter giving away three more runs. Harbhajan Singh then came on to bowl his first over and Smith once again got a boundary off the first ball - this time reverse sweeping it past short third man. Off the last ball, Smith swiped a length ball over the infield to take the second boundary off the over. CSK 50 for 1 after 8 overs.

Suresh Raina continued to live dangerously and a surprise bouncer from Hardik Pandya had the Raina in all sorts of trouble. He was in no position to execute a pull short but luckily the top edge fell short of Lendl Simmons at deep square leg. Pandya though impressed with his pace and gave away just seven runs. Harbhajan Singh gave away four runs in his first five deliveries before Suresh Raina danced down the track and heaved one over long-off for a six. 10 runs came off the over as CSK reached 67 for 1 in chase of 203 at the half way stage.

Hardik Pandya's third over proved to be expensive as Dwayne Smith finally got a move on hitting two boundaries. Smith started the over with boundary in front off square and then finished with the over with another four behind point that helped him reach his fifty off 45 balls. Suresh Raina too got a boundary by shuffling across and taking a four behind the stumps.

Harbhajan Singh however dealt a vital blow by removing the well-set Smith leg before wicket. Smith went for a sweep anticipating the offbreak, but it is a top spin which does not spin that much and Smith is trapped plumb in front of the stumps. Smith departed for 57 off 48 balls. MS Dhoni walked out to the middle as eight runs came off the over. CSK 89 for 2 after 12 overs.

Hardik Pandya rounded off an good bowling spell giving away nine runs. After conceding five runs off his first five deliveries, he gave a boundary when Raina chipped one over covers. But in the next over, bowled by Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina departed for 28. Seeing Raina charged down the track, Harbhajan slipped in a wide ball and PArthiv Patel did well to disturb the stumps as Raina was stranded in no man's land. CSK 102 for 3 after 14 overs.

Mitchell McClenaghan came on to bowl his third over and the New Zealander was plonked for six by Dwayne Bravo over the bowler's head but it was McClenaghan who had the lat laugh when Bravo sliced one in the air to third man where Lendl Simmons took a simple catch. 10 runs came off the over but more importantly for MI they got the wicket of Bravo. With five overs to go CSK had a tough task of scoring 91 runs.

Lasith Malinga was introduced back in to the attack and MS Dhoni clobbered a length ball straight down the ground for a six but he managed to castle the CSK skipper to MI en route to their second IPL title. With fours overs remaining, CSK need 78 runs to win.

With MS Dhoni out, what remained was mere formality for MI and Faf du Plessis coming at number seven, sliced one towards extra cover and Rohit Sharma had no trouble catching it to hand Vinay Kumar his first wicket of the night. Seven runs came off the over as CSK now need 81 runs from three overs. Lasith Malinga came on to bowl his final over and added the wicket of Pawan Negi giving away just five runs in the over.

Mitchell McClenaghan was brought on for his final over and he added his third wicket of the night when Ravichandran Ashwin was holed at deep midwicket by Suchith. Celebrations were already in process and McClenaghan rounded his spell giving away three runs. He finished with 4-0-25-3. The final over was bowled Vinay Kumar and he conceded two sixes from Mohit Sharma but Mumbai Indians managed to stave off Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs and claim their 2nd IPL title.