Indian cricket team returns to Mumbai after losing T 20 match in Johannesburg

Mumbai, Apr 1 (ANI): The Indian cricket team returned home early on Sunday morning after losing the one-off T20 international match against South Africa in Johannesburg on March 30.

India had gone to South Africa for a single T 20 match, which was considered as a tune up match ahead of the fourth season of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).

The match saw the Indian team chase 220 runs set by South Africa, with India's ace batsman Gautam Gambhir hitting a blaze of boundaries.

But, even a total of 71 for 0 after 7.5 overs, India failed to reach the score of 82, set according to the Duckworth-Lewis method, after the match was interrupted by rain.

Brilliant half centuries by the Colin Ingram and Jacques Kallis had lifted the hosts to score their second-highest T20 total and the fourth highest ever in the history of T20 format of the game.

The IPL season five will begin on April 4 and continue till May 27. All the teams will be playing with each other, one at home and the away from home with a league phase including of 72 matches, commencing with Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions, against Mumbai Indians, the Champions League T20 winners.

The first match will be held at Chennai's M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

The IPL season five will last for 54 days comprising of 72 league matches. The two finalists of IPL four, Chennai and Bangalore will be hosting the play-offs. (ANI)