IPL 2018: Wankhede felt like home game for CSK's Suresh Raina

Chennai Super Kings marked their return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a stunning victory in the first game of the 11th edition of the IPL against the current Champion Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede. It was Dwayne Bravo’s bravado which brought the game CSK back in the game who were left stranded after a brilliant bowling from debutant Mayank Markande.

The crowd, as usual, was on their feet throughout the game at the Wankhede. However, notably, the visitors received an equal amount of cheer from the crowd. Suresh Raina took to Twitter to thank the crowd at the Wankhede and suggested that it felt like a home game for the side.

Felt like CSK was never away: Raina

Raina also suggested that it felt like CSK never went anywhere during the ban. Notably, CSK along with Rajasthan Royals were banned by the BCCI on a number of charges that included the owners of the side being involved in the betting. Raina lauded the performance of the Windies all-rounder Bravo as well whose 68-run innings of just 30-deliveries that included 7 massive sixes got the match under the nose of 2-time IPL winners CSK.

However, Bravo’s wicket in the 19th over’s last ball meant that it was injured Kedar Jadhav who returned to rescue the side with 7 runs to win the game. It was Mustafizur Rahman with the ball for the final over. Injury to Jadhav meant that he wouldn’t take the singles or doubles and aim for the maximum. He eventually got a couple of balls to his arch which dispatched for a six and four to win the game for the CSK.

Earlier an economical spell from Bravo didn’t allow the CSK to get a lot of runs in the final over. The penultimate over of the innings cost CSK 17 runs delivered by Mark Wood but Bravo returned for the final over and just game 5 runs to keep Mumbai below the 170-run mark. He was named Man of the Match of his splendid all-around performance.

Here’s Raina’s Tweet:

It’s like we never went away! What a game! Hats off to @DJBravo47
Unbelievable innings!
Special mention to the fans! Wankhede felt like a home game today! ????

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) April 7, 2018