In an IPL match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday, Sunrisers Hyderabad put themselves back on track with a convincing six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings.
In an IPL match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday, the defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad easily defeated the Chennai Super Kings by six wickets after the latter misplayed their batting innings. Abhishek Sharma, a tornado, struck with 37 off 12 balls. Only 37 runs were scored in the final five overs as the SRH bowlers, who were highly disciplined, held CSK to 165 for 5 in 20 overs. If CSK’s 37 off the previous five was a lackluster effort, young southpaw Abhishek, who is enjoying himself immensely in the competition, also hit 37 off just 12 deliveries, including four sixes, to set the stage.
Then, with a 36-ball fifty to lead SRH to victory in just 18.1 overs, Aiden Markram spearheaded a run chase.
Abhishek hit a dazed Mukesh Chaudhary, who was playing in his debut game, for 27 runs before his 60-run partnership with opener Travis Head (31 off 24 balls) for the second wicket in seven overs. That was the end of the contest as CSK lost their next two away games while SRH had now won both of their home games. First up, CSK had a chance, but Moeen Ali dropped Head off Deepak Chahar’s second delivery.
Subsequently, chaos ensued when 23-year-old Abhishek struck two fours and three sixes against Mukesh, who was compelled to play due to Mustafizur Rahaman’s decision to take a one-match sabbatical to apply for a US visa.
In his lone over of play in his first competitive match in sixteen months, Mukesh was all over the place. When Mustafizue returns, he will once more warm the benches.
The ‘IPL expert’ Chahar was hit for a boundary and a six by Abhishek in the third over, and there was no let-up in his aggression, as a diving Jadeja claimed his lofted shot.
After six overs, Head and Markram reached 78 for 1, consolidating the score without taking too many chances. With a huge six off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja in the ninth over, Markram helped SRH reach their 100 runs.
Before being removed in the tenth over by Maheesh Theekshana, Head—the Impact Sub for T Natarajan—had amassed sixty runs with Markram. By then, pressure had subsided because, with eight wickets remaining, SRH needed only 59 runs from the final ten overs.
When CSK bowlers struggled to gain wickets in the 14th over, Markram struck for his first fifty of the year. However, the South African batsman who led the SRH last season was out in the same over, bowled by fellow countryman Moeen Ali (2/23), who overturned an LBW review that the SRH had taken.
The Hyderabad team only needed 34 runs from the final five overs, so they didn’t need to panic. Shahbaz Ahmed (18) gave Moeen his second wicket, but Heinrich Klaasen (10 not out) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (14 not out) saw SRH through to victory.
Earlier, the CSK hitters were held to a subpar 165 for 5, failing to build on their starts.
After CSK was asked to bat on a pitch that didn’t look like the traditional belter, in-form Shivam Dube top-scored with a 24-ball 45, while veteran Ajinkya Rahane delivered a calm 35 off 30 balls. The single best moment of the CSK innings came from the pair’s 65-run partnership for the third wicket from just 6.3 overs.
The final five overs saw CSK score just 37 runs, which might prove to be the game’s turning point.
However, praise must go to CSK’s all-season player, Ravindra Jadeja, whose 31 off 23 balls without a loss provided the extra boost the reigning champions needed in the closing stages.
