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Third time lucky for Chennai
Chennai Super Kings beat title favourites Mumbai Indians by 22 runs to be crowned champions of the third edition of the Indian Premier League, at the DY Patil Staidum, Mumbai on Sunday.
The M S Dhoni-led side, the only team to have qualified for the last four stage in all the three editions, joined Rajasthan Royals and Deccan Chargers as winners of the lucrative annual event.
Photographs: IPL/Getty Images
Saurabh Tiwary named Under-23 success
Mumbai Indians batsman Saurabh Tiwary was named the best Under-23 player of the third edition.
Mumbai Indians lost the match, but the southpaw was unanimously selected by former India captains Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and MAK Pataudi, who were the adjudicators for the award.
Sachin Tendulkar won the Orange cap and player of the tournament award, while left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha won the Purple cap.
Chennai also won the Fair Play award.
Tremendous fight back from Chennai
Chasing a formidable target, the home team could only muster 146 for nine. Mumbai Indians were never dismissed (all out) in a tournament they dominated till the very end.
It was the Super Kings' fourth win over Mumbai Indians in seven matches and their ninth in 16 in this campaign, just enough to ensure they achieved what they had failed to in the inaugural edition.
It was also Chennai's fourth win in their last five matches and capped a tremendous comeback for a side that looked out of semi-final contention at one stage in the tournament.
As regards Mumbai Indians, it was just their fifth loss in 16 matches this season but one that came at the worst possible time.
Mumbai fail to cross final hurdle
Sachin Tendulkar braved an injury to play and scored a resolute 48, but, in the end, it wasn't enough.
Mumbai got off to a worst possible start when Shikar Dhawan was caught behind the wicket in the second over by Doug Bollinger.
The fact that Mumbai didn't manage a single run in the first seven balls of their innings ensured the early dismissal.
R Ashwin's first over was a maiden - making him only the third bowler after Makhaya Ntini and Ryan Harris to have achieved the feat in an IPL final - and Bollinger gave CSK the breakthrough with his fourth ball.
MI kept losing wickets at regular intervals and tactical errors too cost them dearly. Morkel bowled an excellent penultimate over - that resulted in the wickets of Rayudu and Pollard - to make a final over a mere formality.