The bowlers, led by Josh Hazlewood (3/24) and Dwayne Bravo (2/17), restricted SRH to 134 for seven. M S Dhoni Decided to bowl first on a slower surface.
as it happened | Achievement: | Mark sheet
Chasing the total, in-form opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (45 off 38) and Faf du Plessis (41 off 36) put on a brilliant 75-run partnership to give CSK a perfect start.
A mini collapse in the middle overs made CSK an interesting chase in 19.4 overs with Dhoni (14 not out on 11) hitting the winning six and bringing back memories of their heyday.
The three-time former champion thus ended the chase after scoring 139 for four for a six-wicket win.
With their fourth win in as many games since the tournament’s resumption, CSK showed that not making the play-offs last season was just a setback in their success. IPL History.
NS Sharjah The pitch, which produced a high-scoring game last year, has been in complete contrast this season with its slow nature making the stroke difficult.
It became easier to bat in the second innings as Gaikwad displayed supreme skill. The most impressive was the confidence with which he played star SRH spinner Rashid Khan.
.@ChennaiIPL enters the #VIVOIPL playoffs! The unit led by @msdhoni beat #SRH and became the first team… https://t.co/GZvkOJ9LDI
– Indian Premier League (@IPL) 163302378000
He charges the track off Rashid’s second ball and sends it straight for a six. He used his feet well for another crisp boundary against left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma.
Du Plessis also hit some cracking boundaries before falling on a tired shot.
Commanding 103 for one, CSK rolled to 108 for four, leaving the dressing room a bit nervous.
However, Ambati Rayudu (17 not out on 13) saved his team from a tense end in the 19th over with a six and four off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. MS Dhoni remained unbeaten at the other end.
Earlier, SRH’s innings never got the pace it needed.
Wriddhiman Saha smashed 44 off 46 balls but most of the SRH batsmen struggled to get ahead.
Saha’s two sixes off Deepak Chahar in the third over were the highlight of his innings. The first was a hawk over midwicket and the second was like a lofted straight drive that cleared the ropes with ease.
His opening partner Jason Roy fell cheap, trailing Josh Hazlewood as he went for a wild slog.
Captain Kane Williamson hit two fours in his run-a-ball 11 before he was caught with a full ball in front of Dwayne Bravo, who went a little too far to pat the New Zealander into the pads.
SRH were reduced to 74 for four after Saha was caught by Dhoni off Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery.
SRH, who made 97 for four in 15 overs, needed a final flourish in the last five overs.
Abdul Samad (18 off 14) and Abhishek Sharma (18 off 13) made some sensational shots before he was dismissed in the 17th over by Hazlewood.
CSK did a great job conceding only 37 runs in the death overs.
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