Mumbai Indians batsman Lendl Simmons prepares to go big over the off side during the IPL Qualifier 1 match against Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai. (BCCI)

IANS/Mumbai

Half-century from opener Lendl Simmons, a 17-ball 41 by Kieron Pollard and some quality bowling helped Mumbai Indians secure a place in the Indian Premier League 2015 final with a 25-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in the Qualifier 1 at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday.
Simmons scored 65 off 51 balls, which was followed by Pollard’s blazing knock that helped Mumbai post a challenging 187/6. In reply, Chennai were all out for 162 in 19 overs. Mumbai will play in the final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on May 24.
Chennai will get a second chance to make it to the final. They will face the winner of the eliminator to be played today between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in the second qualifier in Ranchi on May 22.
Lasith Malinga (3/23), Harbhajan Singh (2/26) and R. Vinay Kumar (2/26) were the pick of the Mumbai bowlers. Chasing 188 to win, CSK got off to the worst possible start losing opener Dwayne Smith without scoring off the fourth ball of the first over.
A full toss from pacer Lasith Malinga hit straight into Smith’s front pad which made it easy for the umpire to give the batsman out.
Faf du Plessis looked in fine form right from the start. The South African along with opener Michael Hussey didn’t let the early wicket affect their scoring as  CSK reached 46 in 5 overs.
But the very first ball of the sixth over brought the brakes in Chennai’s scoring as Vinay got the vital wicket of Hussey (16).  Suresh Raina and du Plessis took it from there to help the team reach a score of 86/2 in 10 overs.
But the over that followed saw the match swinging in the home side’s favour as Harbhajan Singh got rid of Raina (25) and skipper M.S. Dhoni (0) in successive deliveries to help Mumbai stay in the hunt.
Then du Plessis (45 off 34 balls), looking to up the scoring rate, departed in the 14th over off the bowling of Jagadeesha Suchith.
Earlier, opting to bat, Mumbai got off to a modest start with openers Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel taking their time to get settled in the first four overs, scoring just 22. Simmons broke the shackles in the fifth over as spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was hit for two sixes. Simmons, who is Mumbai’s leading run-scorer this season, once again proved his worth thus bringing up his half-century off just 38 balls.
A bowling change by skipper M.S. Dhoni worked wonders for CSK as Dwayne Bravo got Parthiv (35) caught at long off. Mumbai’s score was 90/1 in 10.4 overs.
Simmons (65; 51b, 3x4, 5x6) who was looking good for a big score fell soon after in the 14th over off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. Skipper Rohit Sharma (19), Hardik Pandya (1), Ambati Rayudu (10) too went back to the pavilion in space of four overs. Pollard (41; 17b, 1x4, 5x6) chipped in with a late cameo to help Mumbai reach a challenging score.
Brief scores
Mumbai Indians 187 for 6 (Simmons 65, Pollard 41) beat Chennai Super Kings 162 (du Plessis 45, Malinga 3-23)