Defending champions Chennai Super Kings Friday entered their eighth IPL final and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni credited the clinical effort of his bowing unit for setting up the platform for the comfortable win over Delhi Capitals in the Qualifier 2 here.
Opting to bowl, CSK first restricted DC to 147 for nine and then chased down the target with six wickets in hand to set up a clash against Mumbai Indians in the IPL final in Hyderabad on Sunday.
"The crucial part was to keep getting wickets. The credit needs to go to the bowlers. The captain only asks this is what I need. Then it's up to them to figure out how to bowl, and they have to put in the hard yards," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"Thanks to the bowling department for where we are this season. I would have preferred it if the openers finished it off. Once they got the required rate below 6 an over, there was no reason to play big shots and get out. They did the hard yards," he added.
Dhoni also lauded the entire CSK team for producing a clinical performance when it mattered.
"It's the usual route, last year was the exception. The kind of response from the boys today was brilliant. The way we batted to get 140-plus runs was very nice," he said.
"The spinners got some turn, and we kept getting wickets at the right time."
"None of the batsmen took the initiative to take the team through and there wasn't a partnership buidling. Disappointing for us but a good learning."
"I think we've learned a lot, looking at seniors like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma leading their teams. It's a proud moment for me, standing with them at the toss. They talk to me, share their experiences, and that's great for me."
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