Opener David Warner launched a savage attack on the Chennai Super Kings’ bowlers to produce a masterly 90 that eventually enabled Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat the host by six wickets and take a firm step towards earning a knockout berth in the Pepsi IPL-7 here on Thursday at the JSCA Stadium.
Shikhar Dhawan stayed till the end remaining undefeated on 64 (50b, 4x4, 2x6) to finish off the job as SRH reached 189 for four with two balls to spare in reply to CSK’s 185 for three, earning a well-deserved victory to log 12 points from 13 games. CSK lost its third match on the trot and remained on 16 from 13 matches.
The Sunrisers began with a flourish with the two in-form batsmen Warner and Dhawan going for CSK’s jugular from the first over. Mohit Sharma conceded 22 runs in two overs and R. Ashwin gave away 12 as left-handed Warner, who was adjudged the man-of-the-match made hay when the floodlights were burning bright.
A series of breathtaking strokes saw Warner racing to a 25-ball half century in no time with Dhawan applauding from the non-striker’s end. Such was the domination of Warner, to whom neither pace nor spin made any difference.
The two brought up the team’s second century partnership of this season, and Warner moved to 90 with consummate ease. Well set to hit his maiden, and the tournament’s second, century, Warner dragged an intended back-foot drive onto the stumps off Hastings. In making his highest score, Warner needed only 45 balls. He hit 12 boundaries and three sixes.
The partnership also ended at 116 in 11.2 overs. But, by then, SRH was well and truly on the way to a well deserved victory. Despite losing Naman Ojha, Aaron Finch and Darren Sammy, Dhawan remained in control to ensure victory.
Earlier, Dhoni plundered 24 runs off Dale Steyn’s final over in a 108-run unbeaten partnership with Davis Hussey that eventually lifted CSK to 185 for three in 20 overs. In the process, Dhoni registered his first half-century of the tournament remaining unconquered on 57 (41b, 2x4, 4x6), and Hussey, playing his second game, was not out on 50 (33b, 5x4, 2x6).
The fourth-wicket association needed 11.2 overs to lift CSK from 77 for three to 185 which gave ample chances to the two-time champion to break its two-match losing streak.
Faf du Plessis accompanied Dwayne Smith to open the innings after Darren Sammy sent CSK to bat first. Smith hit three fours off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s opening over and du Plessis slammed Steyn for three boundaries. du Plessis was run out under unfortunate circumstances for 19 and Suresh Raina, too, departed early leaving Hussey and Dhoni to rescue CSK.
The two began cautiously but opened up gradually, with Dhoni’s assault on Steyn being the icing on the cake, the sequence of the over being 6, 4, 2, 6, 2, 4. SRH bowlers leaked 68 runs in the final five overs.
At one point, Dhoni was struggling at 11 off 19. SRH bowlers kept it tight and hardly gave him the leeway to indulge in lofted shots.
Karn Sharma played hero, with figures of 4-0-19-2.
Scoreboard
Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Smith lbw b Karn 47 (28b, 4x4, 4x6), Faf du Plessis run out 19 (11b, 4x4), Suresh Raina c Finch b Karn 4 (7b), D. Hussey (not out) 50 (33b, 5x4, 2x6), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (not out) 57 (41b, 2x4, 4x6); Extras (lb-7, w-1): 8; Total (for three wkts. in 20 overs): 185.
Fall of wickets: 1-33 (du Plessis), 2-68 (Smith), 3-77 (Raina).
Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-36-0, Dale Steyn 4-0-43-0, Karn Sharma 4-0-19-2, Parvez Rasool 4-0-35-0, Irfan Pathan 3-0-34-0, Darren Sammy 1-0-11-0.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner b Hastings 90 (45b, 12x4, 3x6), Shikhar Dhawan (not out) 64 (49b, 4x4, 2x6), Naman Ojha c Negi b Raina 19 (18b, 1x6), Aaron Finch run out 7 (3b, 1x6), Darren Sammy c du Plessis b Jadeja 0 (3b), Venugopala Rao (not out) 4 (1b, 1x4); Extras (lb-1, w-3, nb-1): 5; Total (for four in 19.4 overs): 189.
Fall of wickets: 1-116 (Warner), 2-168 (Ojha), 3-176 (Finch), 4-184 (Sammy).
Chennai Super Kings bowling: Mohit Sharma 3-0-33-0, Ashwin 4-0-29-0, John Hastings 3-0-29-1, Ravindra Jadeja 3.4-0-42-1, Pawan Negi 4-0-38-0, Suresh Raina 2-0-17-1.
Man of the Match: D. Warner.
Sunrinsers Hyderabad won by six wickets with two balls to spare.
