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Practice in Chennai helped us, says MOM Ambati Rayudu after CSK beat Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020 opener

Ambati Rayudu went on to post a 115-run stand for the third wicket with Faf du Plessis (58 not out). Rayudu was declared man of the match for his 72.

Practice in Chennai helped us, says MOM Ambati Rayudu after CSK beat Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020 opener

Ambati rayudu file image. (Photo: IANS)

After helping Chennai Super Kings (CSK) win the season opener in this year’s Indian Premier League with a man-of-the-match performance, Ambati Rayudu has said that their pre-season camp in Chennai before travelling to the UAE helped him.

Chasing 163, Rayudu scored 72 off 48 balls and stitched together a match-winning stand of 115 runs with Faf du Plessis (58 not out) after CSK were reduced to 6/2 in just two overs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

“We were training and it was stop start. We were also training in the summer before it got postponed,” said Rayudu in the post-match presentation ceremony as quoted by IANS.

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“The pitch was doing a bit with the new ball but it came a bit easier once the dew came on. We just wanted to get stuck in there and get through. We practiced in Chennai, that really helped and then in Dubai as well so, very happy,” he added.

After putting 162 on board, Mumbai Indians had dismissed CSK openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay were dismissed off consecutive overs before Rayudu and Du Plessis took control.

Rayudu took the attack to the opposition, smashing six fours and three sixes in a 48-ball knock. He was also helped by MI not able to hold on to their catches, surviving a close call in the ninth over when he was on 27 and then later off the second ball of the 16th over bowled by Rahul Chahar. He eventually fell off the last ball of the over, with Chahar taking an impressive catch sprinting backwards off his own bowling.

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