IPL 2021: Chennai Super Kings cruise into Play-Offs with six-wicket win over SRH

Chennai Super Kings’ captain MS Dhoni hitting the winning six against SRH at Sharjah stadium on Thursday. Image Source: BCCI/IPL

Xtra Time Web Desk: Three time former champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) sailed into the IPL 2021 play offs with a convincing six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad at Sharjah stadium on Thursday. Chasing a moderate 134 runs to win, Chennai reached home 139/4 with two balls to spare. CSK’s talismanic captain MS Dhoni (14*) hit the winning six .

Chennai Super Kings openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (45 off 38) and Faf du Plessis (41 off 36) gave the team a solid start putting on 75 runs for the first wicket. The Yellow Army did suffer a small hiccup after they were reduced from 103/1 to 108/4 but in the end Ambati Rayudu (17 not out off 13) and Dhoni saw the team home.

Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad batters never got the momentum against the disciplined bowling of Josh Hazzlewood (3/24) and Dwayne Bravo (2/17) as they were restricted to 134/7. Wriddhiman Saha played some delightful shots in his 46-ball 44 but the majority of the SRH batsmen struggled to get going. The India wicket keeper hit two sixes off Deepak Chahar in third over in his knock. Jason Roy, who made a mark in his maiden IPL match for SRH against RR fell cheaply, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood as he went for a wild slog.

Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson struck two fours in his run-a-ball 11 before getting out leg before by Dwayne Bravo. SRH were left reeling at 74 for four after a well-set Saha top-edged one off Ravindra Jadeja to be caught by Dhoni. They never got going towards the end as CSK bowlers were brilliant in the death overs conceding only 37 runs.

Brief Scores:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 134 for 7 in 20 overs (Wriddhiman Saha 44; Josh Hazlewood 3/24)

Chennai Super Kings: 139 for 4 in 19.4 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 45, Faf du Plessis 41; Jason Holder 3/27).