IPL 2019 Finals: And The Trophy Goes To — Mumbai Indians (MI)
IPL 2019 produced one of the best matches as Mumbai Indians took on the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL finale. One of the teams would have the honour to win the trophy the fourth time, while the other had to be satisfied with winning thrice in the previous years. Both the teams were in their mighty best, as they clung to every hope that they could.
Finally, after an oscillating battle, IPL 2019 came to end with Mumai Indians grabbing their fourth IPL trophy in a one-run nail biter finish at Hyderabad on 12th May. The match was filled with edge of the seat scenes, to moments that would literally have you tearing your head. With both teams starting off their power play in the best way possible, to the funny protest staged by Kieron Pollard, everything was happening on the IPL 2019 final stage.
Read Here.Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings Journey through previous IPL Finals.
Mumbai Indians had opted to bad first, in a pitch that many termed as risky. His risk allowed his team to stage a defendable total of 149. CSK known to be one of the best chasers in the IPL 2019, started off brilliantly as Shane Watson scored a wonderful half century, even though wickets kept tumbling down. In the end, MI’s Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah proved to be too much for CSK to handle, and Mumbai Indians produced yet another one-run win miracle.
The match had some great moments:
De Kock unsettling the powerplay genius and the strong comeback
CSK’s favourite bowler Deepak Chahar has been great in IPL 2019. He had managed to bowl over 170 dot bowls, which is actually the most by any bowler in IPL 2019, but this time around, Chahar was in for a ride with Quinton de Kock having no respect for his amazing bowling figures in IPL 2019.
The South African seemed to be a man on a mission who was ready to make CSK bite the dust in the power play itself. Kock decided to hit Chahar over the mid-wicket for a six on the very first ball, which started Mumbai’s accelerator. This was merely the third over, and Quinton was in no mood to slow down, as he sliced another one for six two balls later. He ended the over with another six and Chahar was left having to deal with giving 20 runs in the third over.
But, this was not the end of Chahar Dhoni with his strategic captaincy brought him back, and made him change his end. This time Chahar got the better off Mumbai, and he bowled a wicket maiden in the last over of the power play. This was a huge blow to Mumbai, who were cruising along till this point.
He was also responsible for dismissing Rohit Sharma with a magnificent knuckleball and managed to contain Ishan Kishan, in one of the best comeback overs that IPL 2019 had seen so far. He finished his innings with two more wickets, including one of the Hard Pandya, who had the power to help Mumbai reach to a greater total. In his final over in IPL 2019, Chahar gave away only four runs and managed to choke the huge start by Mumai Indians.
Inconsistent CSK Fielding
CSK had come under the radar for their inconsistent fielding in IPL 2019. But, on the day that it mattered the most, they had some exceptional. Jadeja nearly took one of the most jaw-dropping catches in the history of the league. He ran hard and drove full stretch close to the ropes to almost catch the ball and send Suryakumar Yadav packing.
Then later, Shardul Thakur became the man of the hour for CSK, Krunal Pandya had to face a bouncer that touched his top edge. The ball was falling quickly into the no man’s land, but just then Thakur covered a great amount of ground and pulled off a magnificent dive to pull off this brilliant catch.
Yet, there was the other side of the coin too, and CSK’s inconsistent fielding once again came back when Suresh Raina, one of the safest pair of hands in cricket, dropped an easy catch in the 18th over. The missed opportunity allowed Pandya a second lease of life, and he used it well by hitting a six. However, his Mavericks were not for long, as he made only 12 more runs before Chahar took him off.
The Pollard-Bravo episode
No IPL is complete with a little West Indian flare. IPL 2019 had already seen the might of Andre Russel from the Caribbean, but Kieron Pollard and Bravo added a different tang to it.
In the final over, Pollard was determined to be on strike, when he refused to take a run off the first ball, in order to keep his strike. Bravo was on the other end and managed to then follow up with two dot balls. But, the deliveries were actually outside the wide line, but the umpires had refused to give them wide. Pollard by the second ball had lost his patience and threw his bat in the air in aggression.
When Bravo ran to bowl his third ball in the last over, Pollard decided to protest by walking outside the wide line in a sarcastic manner. The umpires had to intervene and warn an agitated Pollard. Pollard then proceeded to take his revenge by hitting back to back boundaries.
The overthrow that cost CSK
The whole crowd gathered to watch the IPL 2019 final at Hyderabad cheered when MS Dhoni walked onto the crease. Everyone expected him to be the man of the hour and support Watson to drive his team to victory.
However, that was not in Dhoni’s date today. He has to depart early in the 13th overdue a very unfortunate incident. The mayhem happened when a short ball from Hardik was hit to the line leg by Watson, and Malinga picked up the ball. He aimed the ball at the non-striker’s end but missed it by a lot. The small then went off to long off and was picked up by Ishan Kishan.
Both Dhoni and Watson thought that this was their chance to pick up a second run and went ahead with it. However, Ishan Kishan was quick to pick up the ball and a direct hit found Dhoni short of his crease at the non-striker’s end after serval replays. The decision was difficult since the side angle view showed that Dhoni had made his crease, whereas the front angle view showed that he was still a little short of his crease when the bails lit up.
The Nine lives of Watson
The Mumbai Indians seemed to give Watson all the chances that they could offer. The Australian managed to survive three definite wickets to make 80 on 59 balls.
In the ninth over, Watson was on 31 as he top-edged the slower ball. Malinga was well in control of reaching the ball, but his ill-timed position made sure that he missed the ball by a few inches. Watson’s second reprieve came when he was on 42. Rahul Chahar was in the middle of a brilliant spell when the Australian drove a full bar straight back to the Chahar. However, Chahar could not handle the force by which the ball drifted to him and missed the catch.
Read Here…Can IPL become India’s Soft Power??
Finally, Watson was on 55 when he top-edged Bumrah down deep square’s leg. Rahul was well positioned to take the catch, however, the Mumbai Indians decided to give Watson another chance, as the catch was dropped again.
The death overs mayhem
IPL 2019 saw the finale go down right to the wire, with both teams tossing each other the trophy as the game progressed. The final three overs were extremely chaotic as all hell broke loose.
In the 18th over, Rohit decided that Krunal will be a better option to hand over the ball to than Malinga, who had given out too many runs. However, the trick fell on deaf ears, as Watson hit three back to back sixes to show how determined he was to win this. 19th oversaw Bumrah come out with ball with a determined look on his face. He was the only person who could salvage the sinking team. In his previous three over Bumrah had only given out nine runs, and this time
he had to prove himself again. And yet again, this seam bowler was at his best. He managed to dislodge Bravo and gave away only five runs in the over till the last ball. In the final ball, Jadeja was beaten by Bumrah’s ball, but de Kick who was behind the stumps, couldn’t hold onto the ball which then raced away for four byes.
Bumrah had to then console an evidently disappointed de Kock, who blamed himself for giving away four crucial runs when the match was definitely going down to the wire. The final over was heart stopping. Rohit once again decided to restore his faith in Malinga, even after his not so good economy rate in this match. But this time the Sri Lankan had learnt his lesson and he was not going to disappoint his team and his captain again.
He showcased brilliant accuracy and nailed all his Yorkers consistently. Only three runs had come from the last three balls, and Watson tried desperately to grab a non-existent second run. His decision proved fatal, as he was caught short by a sharp throw from Krunal, and de Kock, who managed to redeem his previous over goof up.
CSK needed only two to win off one ball, and all eyes were on Malinga. As he ran to ball his final ball in IPL 2019, people waited with bated breath. OUT! Malinga nailed his Yorker once again and Thakur was left with nothing other than to be brought down by an LBW. The crowd of blue erupted as the boys in blue on the field jumped in joy. Mumbai Indians had clinched their fourth IPL trophy.
Originally published at Sporcial.
