IPL 2020: MI vs CSK opener registers highest-ever opening day viewership for any sporting league


IPL 2020: MI vs CSK opener registers highest-ever opening day viewership for any sporting league
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday said that the opening match of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) was watched by 20 crore viewers.

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This was the highest ever opening day viewership for any sporting league in any country as defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) was defeated by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on September 19 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. MS Dhoni-led side won against four times IPL champions by five wickets.

Opening match of #Dream11IPL sets a new record! As per BARC, an unprecedented 20 crore people tuned in to watch the match. Highest ever opening day viewership for any sporting league in any country- no league has ever opened as big as this,” said, Shah, the BCCI Secretary in a tweet.

CSK defeated MI in the IPL 2020 opener

After all the wait and excitement, the first match of IPL 2020 finally took place on Saturday. Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 5 wickets, thanks to a couple of sensational knocks from Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis

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In pursuit of a 163-run set by Mumbai Indians, CSK didn’t start well. Their star player, Shane Watson, went cheaply. Murali Vijay too followed soon as CSK were reeling at 6 for 2 in first two overs. Chennai Super Kings, at that stage, were in all sorts of trouble. However, a formidable partnership of 115-run for the third wicket between Amabati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis brought CSK back in the game. 

Ambati Rayudu’s sensational knock of 71 runs off 48 balls proved as the game-changer for Dhoni and Co. Rayudu mixed caution with aggression and scored 6 fours and 3 sixes during the course of his innings. Faf du Plessis, who stayed till the end, played as the second fiddle to Rayudu. He scored an unbeaten 58-run knock off 44 balls. 

In a bid to keep the right-left combination, MS Dhoni surprised everyone to send Rayudu and Sam Curran ahead of him. The decision paid off as both the players played valuable cameos and made the chase a lot easier in the end.

Also read: IPL 2020: Memes and trolls surface on social media after RCB defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad

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