Kolkata: Mumbai Indians joined the 'two-time winners' club of the Indian Premier League as they cornered the eighth edition of the cash-rich T20 tournament at a packed Eden Gardens yesterday.
Also View&nbsp;Photos: <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/photos/photos-mumbai-indians-paint-eden-gardens-blue-after-ipl-8-title-win/8885" target="_blank">Mumbai Indians paint Eden Gardens blue after IPL 8 title win</a> <img title="MI pacer Lasith Malinga celebrates the dismissal of CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the IPL_8 final in Kolkata yesterday. Pic/BCCI" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2015/may/25Lasith-Malinga-1.jpg" alt="MI pacer Lasith Malinga celebrates the dismissal of CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the IPL_8 final in Kolkata yesterday. Pic/BCCI" /> MI pacer Lasith Malinga celebrates the dismissal of CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the IPL_8 final in Kolkata yesterday. Pic/BCCI&nbsp;
Put into bat, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co put up 202 for five, the second-highest total in an IPL final, and it looked beyond Chennai Super Kings from the very first notes of the reply.
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The 41-run victory caps a superb surge that saw them coming back from a disappointing start to IPL-8. Two years ago, against the same opponents at the same venue, a 23-run win had given Mumbai their maiden title.
Six-time finalists CSK and the Kolkata Knight Riders are the other teams that have won the tournament twice.
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Simmons' super start Yesterday, Lendl Simmons helped himself to another big one and Rohit Sharma continued his love affair with the Eden. Then, as always, there was the long handle of Kieron Pollard (18-ball 36) to boost the back end.
The script unfolded in near-perfect fashion for MI as they presented their opponents a target too far. Simmons, with some blistering batting scored a 45-ball 68 that had eight fours and three sixes, but it was the class and conviction of Rohit that had quickly trivialised an early setback (Parthiv run out for a duck in the very first over) and set MI free.
The skipper's innings of 50 came off just 26 deliveries and had six boundaries and a couple of sixes but, then, his innings have never been about how many but how.
Smooth as a Rolls Royce, he drove through the gaps with an elegance that had the packed Eden terraces rising for a standing ovation when the symphony was done.
A few deliveries earlier, when he had completed his 50, the ecstatic wave of the bat at the crowd had already spoken of the connect.
With a 177 on Test debut, a world record 264 in an ODI, an IPL century and several other stand-out knocks, it is hardly surprising that he should enjoy so much support here.
Even on his previous visit to the Eden, for the IPL-8 opener in early-April, he scored an unbeaten 98, albeit in a losing cause against KKR.
CSK's reply had a different tenor to the MI innings. Their run-rate stayed below seven till the 10th over. Though Dwayne Smith anchored the innings with a 48-ball 57, no one could get going at the other end, and wickets tumbled.
Bollywood celebs congratulate Mumbai on Twitter:
Ritesh Deshmukh: "Mumbaiiiiiii Mumbaiiiiiiiiiiii @mipaltan Champions".
Abhishek Bachchan: "@ChelseaFC win the EPL. @mipaltan win the IPL. it's a BLUE weekend!! Well done both teams," he said.
Anu Malik - "Oopar WaleA ne sun li dua IPL cup hamara hua @mipaltan CONGRATULATIONS. Badhai ho keh rahan hain saara jahaan #IPLFinal #MIvCSK LOVE U GUYS," he said.

Here's an analysis of how Mumbai Indians joined the 'two-time winners' club after dominating with the bat and ball to beat CSK by 41 runs in the finale at a packed Eden Gardens

IPL 8: How Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings to lift the title

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IPL 8: How Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings to lift the title

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