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Bangalore - Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed a 20-ball 51 not out to set up a comprehensive 38-run win for his Chennai Super Kings side against the Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League eliminator clash on Wednesday.
The skipper cracked two sixes and six fours in his explosive knock which helped defending champions Chennai to 187-5 off their 20 overs in Bangalore before they restricted Mumbai to 149-9.
Chennai will now play the Delhi Daredevils on Friday for a place in the final, to be held on Sunday. The Kolkata Knight Riders have already qualified for the final following their 18-run victory over Delhi in Pune on Tuesday.
Mumbai lost their way after putting on 47 runs for the opening wicket off five overs through Dwayne Smith (38) and Sachin Tendulkar (11).
Chennai virtually made sure of victory when they reduced Mumbai to 96-5 in the 12th over, with South African paceman Albie Morkel grabbing two wickets to finish with 2-31 off four overs.
Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo of the West Indies earlier delighted a capacity crowd with their exciting strokeplay, plundering 73 runs after Bravo joined Dhoni in the 16th over to help their team set a stiff target.
Bravo hit two sixes and three fours in his unbeaten 14-ball 33.
Australian Michael Hussey (49) and Subramaniam Badrinath (47) put on 94 for the third wicket to lead Chennai's recovery after two wickets had fallen with just one run on the board.
Mumbai, electing to field after winning the toss, put Chennai under pressure when seamer Dhawal Kulkarni dismissed opener Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina with his first two deliveries.
Vijay was caught by Rohit Sharma in the slips while Raina inside-edged a delivery onto his stumps.
Chennai were 47-2 off nine overs before Hussey and Badrinath went for big shots, each hitting off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for a six in the same over.
Brief scores:
Chennai Super Kings 187-5 in 20 overs (MS Dhoni 51 not out, M. Hussey 49, S. Badrinath 47, D. Bravo 33 not out; D. Kulkarni 3-46) beat Mumbai Indians 149-9 in 20 overs (D. Smith 38; D. Bravo 2-10, A. Morkel 2-31) by 38 runs.
