During the 46th match of the 11th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Pune, Chennai Super Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets to register their eighth win of the season.
After Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and put the visitors in to bat, Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 179-4 in their allotted quota of 20 overs. After managing to tackle some quality swing bowling from the opposition, both Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson scored half-centuries to lay a foundation for the batsman to follow.
In the second innings, Sunrisers’ bowlers, considered to be the best in the tournament, struggled big time against Ambati Rayudu and Shane Watson as the opening duo stitched together a 134-run match winning partnership. Watson started the carnage which was continued by Rayudu after the former got out. The Super Kings scored 180-2 in 19 overs.
Now, we will look at the hits and flops players in this match.
Hits
Shikhar Dhawan (SRH) – Opening the batting with Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan was watchful at the start against some quality swing bowling. However, after getting his eye in, he ended up scoring his 31st IPL half-century, 79 (49), with the help of 10 fours and three sixes.
Shane Watson (CSK) – Shane Watson bowled bowled a couple of decent overs with the ball in hand, giving away 15 runs. Opening the batting with Ambati Rayudu, Watson took centre-stage in the powerplay, tonking the tournament’s best bowling attack. He ended up scoring 57 (35) with the help of five fours and three sixes.
Ambati Rayudu (CSK) – The kind of form that he is in in this season, scoring a century was perhaps the only feat left to achieve for Ambati Rayudu. He might not have been as attacking as Watson in the beginning but picked up after getting his eye in and was unstoppable after it. In a 180-run chase, he scored his maiden IPL century, 100* (62), with the help of seven fours and seven sixes.
Flops
Alex Hales (SRH) – In which was his fifth match of the season, Alex Hales continued to put on board below par performances. Struggling against the swing in the powerplay, he scored 2 (9).
Suresh Raina (CSK) – Coming in to bat at No. 3 in the 14th over, Suresh Raina had an opportunity to get a decent number under his belt for the demand of the run-chase wasn’t very asking at that point in time. That being said, he played a rash shot to get out on 2 (3) in the following over.
Shakib Al Hasan (SRH) – With the ball in hand, Shakib Al Hasan had no reply to the onslaught being carried out by Watson and Rayudu. He was introduced into the bowling attack as the second change bowler in the last over of the powerplay. He registered bowling figures of 4-0-41-0.
