DWAYNE BRAVO took one wicket with his medium pace but his team Chennai Super Kings reached their ninth Indian Premier League final (and their seventh since Bravo joined in 2011) by virtue of a four-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the first qualifier on Sunday, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Sent into bat first, Delhi posted 172 runs for five wickets in their allotted 20 overs with Bravo returning figures of 1/31 off his three overs. Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was the main wicket-taker with two wickets for 29 runs. Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw led the way with 60, while captain Rishabh Pant made an unbeaten 51 and Shimron Hetmyer, the other West Indian to feature in the game, scored 37.

Chennai, who were the IPL champs in 2010, 2011 and 2018, and runners-up in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2019, replied with 173/6 in 19.4 overs. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad struck 70 and veteran Robin Uthappa 63, but late cameos from captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (18 not out off six balls) and Moeen Ali (16 off 12 balls), guided Chennai to victory.

On Monday, in the eliminator match, Royal Challengers Bangalore will face Kolkata Knight Riders. The winners of the eliminator will meet Delhi on Wednesday, in the second qualifier. And the winners of Wednesday's match will oppose Chennai in Friday's title-decider.

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