BANGLADESH's Mustafizur Rahman returned figures of 4-29 to set up a six-wicket win for reigning champs Chennai Super Rulers in the IPL opener against Illustrious Challengers Bengaluru on Friday (22).
As Chennai held Bengaluru down to 173-6, their batsmen were upgraded in 18.4 overs at the M A Chidambaram Arena.
Shivam Dube, who hit 34, and individual left-hander Ravindra Jadeja, who made 25, put on an unbeaten stand of 66 to guide the group home.
The seventeenth version of the worthwhile association started with a stylish function, with exhibitions by Bollywood stars including India's Oscar-winning writer A R Rahman.
Luxurious moves, well known music and firecrackers gave way to the throw as Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis chose to bat.
Old warhorse M S Dhoni had stunned his fans just before the opener when he gave over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who said he got to know about the choice last week.
"I have consistently delighted in it," Gaikwad said of his captaincy debut in the IPL.
"Haven't felt the extra tension, right from the state side. Not so much as a solitary time I felt compressed by anything. Clearly had 'Mahi' (Dhoni's moniker) bhai with me."
Gaikwad's authority saw early difficulties when his opposite number Du Plessis crushed customary limits yet left-arm fast Mustafizur drove Chennai's fightback with his IPL-best take.
Mustafizur had Du Plessis gotten out for 35 and Bengaluru slipped from 41-0 to 42-3 in about seven balls when Australia's Glenn Maxwell was out for a first-ball duck off Deepak Chahar.
Mustafizur was named man of the match.
Virat Kohli got back to serious cricket following two months following a paternity break when he missed India's 4-1 Test triumph over Britain and began warily.
He made 21 off 20 balls including a six off spinner Maheesh Theekshana before his takeoff in one more motivated spell by Mustafizur, who again struck two times in an over.
Kohli was trapped in the deep after a hand-off between Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra and soon Cameron Green left with Bengaluru losing a portion of their side inside 12 overs.
"We were 15-20 runs nearly out of a pitch that wasn't quite as terrible as we played in the initial ten overs," Du Plessis said.
"We were generally a smidgen behind attempting to stretch out beyond the game. They were dependable on the ball."
Anuj Rawat, a wicketkeeper-batsman who hit 48, and Dinesh Karthik, 38 not out, steadied the boat and afterward took the assault to the resistance in their organization of 95 out of 50 balls.
In answer, Chennai's batsmen including IPL debutant Ravindra, who hit a 15-ball 37, got the beginnings but lost customary wickets.
Green hit with two key wickets including Rahane (27) and Daryl Mitchell (22) with his quick medium bowling however Jadeja made a big difference for the pursuit.
Dube, who came in as an effective substitute instead of Mustafizur, and Jadeja guaranteed the group cruised through.
Coordinators have delivered just the initial fourteen days of the IPL plan so far in light of the fact that it conflicts with India's six-drawn out broad political decision. Last season the 10-group IPL endured two months.
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