Bravo ‘wasn’t thinking’ as he smacked Chennai to victory
Dwayne Bravo said he “wasn’t thinking much” as he blasted the Chennai Super Kings to victory against the Mumbai Indians in the opening game of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday.
West Indian Bravo struck 68 off just 30 balls, including three fours and seven sixes, as Chennai chased down a target of 166 to win by one wicket and one ball to spare.
What made Bravo’s innings more special is that Chennai were reeling at 83/5 and then 118/8 before Bravo kicked into gear.
Even though the player born in Trinidad was out in the in the penultimate over, his team did just enough to start the season on a high.
REPORT: Bravo heroics give CSK thrilling win
Bravo said after the game: “I wasn’t thinking much actually, I was just trying my best to bat till the last over.
“I thought that if I bat deep and till the end, we have a good chance of winning the game because Wankhede is a ground where if you miss your length and yorkers, the ball can travel.
“So you mistime a few, a few edges go your way and the bowling team is always under pressure because margin for error is so small in this format, you miss your yorker by an inch, it can go for six as you can see tonight.
“When I reached 50, I didn’t even raise my bat. I knew the job wasn’t finished, there was still a long way to go. I was in a zone. I was just focusing on trying to get the game done for my team.
“I was disappointed that I was out in the last over. But I played the innings that put my team in a position to win. I am just happy that I was able to contribute with the bat. It has been a while that I haven’t been able to make runs with the bat.
“This one will always be special to me. It was just my day, I’ll take that.”
It was Chennai’s first game back in the IPL after a two-year absence after they were banned because of corruption scandal.
Bravo said the victory was for the supporters of the team in yellow who stuck by the side.
The West Indian concluded: “It’s always good to start any tournament with a win and this is a special win for us personally because our fans have been so loyal to us and they waited for this opportunity and people in Chennai and throughout India as well, our CSK fans and our captain MS [Dhoni].”
Latest
-
NewsJofra Archer will ‘get better and better’ but England batting needs more bite
Archer took one for 81 on a hot and sunny afternoon in Bloemfontein.
-
NewsEngland beaten by South Africa in first ODI despite blistering Jason Roy century
Roy scored 113 off just 91 balls but South Africa ran out winners by 27 runs.
-
NewsEngland reach Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup final after winning thriller
With Australia 96 for nine chasing 100, the England captain trapped Maggie Clark lbw to send her side through to face India in the final.
-
NewsJofra Archer toils for little reward as South Africa set England 299 to win ODI
Archer believes he is at about “80 per cent” fitness so some rust was inevitable.
-
NewsWomen’s T20 World Cup in South Africa to have all-female match officials
Three match referees and 10 umpires will form the 13-strong team.
-
England5 talking points as England turn attention to ODI format in a World Cup year
England have travelled to South Africa for three one-day internationals.
-
EnglandEngland captain Jos Buttler backs Jason Roy as the opener bids to find his form
Roy will open the innings alongside Dawid Malan as part of a new-look top-order in Friday’s first ODI against South Africa.
-
EnglandJofra Archer set to make long-awaited England comeback against South Africa
There were minor alarms when the fast bowler was not seen at Bloemfontein’s Mangaung Oval on Thursday.
-
Women's CricketIt’s the right time – England bowler Katherine Brunt retires from county cricket
The 37-year-old will play in this summer’s Hundred but will not feature for the Northern Diamonds or Yorkshire.
-
EnglandEngland stars Ben Stokes and Nat Sciver win ICC cricketer of the year awards
Sciver finished the World Cup as the tournament’s third-highest scorer as England reached the final