An all-around team effort from CSK whether it was the openers who put a 150-plus run opening stand or Mukesh Choudhary who struck twice in his first over to derail SRH’s innings and their spinners who tightened screws on SRH’s chase and made sure to slow down their innings. Eventually winning by 13 runs. With that, CSK won by 13 runs and picked up another couple of points.
Batting first, the Chennai Super Kings looked a far cry from what they had dished out so far. Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway were timing it brilliantly and were toying with the SRH bowlers during their big partnership. Gaikwad and Conway, well aware of CSK’s opening partnership woes this season, started out watchfully, and got through the powerplay with 40 on the board.
The left-arm pacer T Natarajan though was able to get the first breakthrough for SRH in the 18th over, when he had Gaikwad caught by Bhuvneshwar for a brilliant 99.
Conway had MS Dhoni for company, who added 8 to the cause before Natarajan had his number too. Conway though was able to finish off the innings with a flurry of boundaries, unbeaten on 85 with CSK having posted 202/2.
In response, Hyderabad started off well as young Abhishek Sharma and Kane Williamson went about building in their usual manner.
The openers found their rhythm with ease, and Sharma hit five boundaries and a six in the powerplay, staying with the required run-rate, before Mukesh Choudhary got the breakthrough.
Just before the end of the sixth over, Choudhary had Sharma caught for 39 off 24 deliveries and then ended the powerplay with Rahul Tripathi walking back for a golden duck.
Williamson started slow at his but was beginning to get a move on and was aided by Aiden Markram, who was looking for the fences from the get go.
The South African Aiden Markram clobbered Mitch Santner for a couple of consecutive sixes before the Kiwi had the final say, as Ravindra Jadeja held on in the deep. Markram added 17 quick runs to the cause.
SRH have los three quick wickets and are struggling at the halfway stage of the innings. They are at 89/3 after 10 overs.
The wickets slowed down SRH and Williamson felt the pressure, and succumbed, trapped LBW for by Dwaine Pretorius for 47 off 37 deliveries. Meanwhile, Nicholas Pooran at the other end had found his range and was teeing off, sending it deep into the stands. At the 15 over mark, SRH were 131/4 with Pooran looking for the big hits.
Pooran was dropped twice in the 19th off Pretorius during an over before the final went for 24 runs as CSK won by 13 runs. In those two overs which gave SRH 36 runs, Pooran got to his half-century and ending the game unbeaten on 64.
Sunrisers have a three-day break before they face Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium on May 5. Chennai Super Kings will face Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 4 at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
Watch from here Nicholas Pooran’s 64*(33) –