Chennai: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s commanding 98, backed by an excellent bowling performance led by pacer Tushar Deshpande, propelled Chennai Super Kings to a resounding 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League encounter held here on Sunday.
Gaikwad’s aggressive innings, lasting 54 balls, laid the foundation for CSK’s formidable total of 212 for three. He found strong support in Daryl Mitchell, who contributed a vital 52 off 32 deliveries, while Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 39 off 20 balls propelled CSK past the 200-run mark.
In reply, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s cautious approach faltered against Deshpande’s early breakthroughs, conceding to a mere 134 all out in 18.5 overs, thereby ending CSK’s two-game losing streak.
Following this victory, CSK climbed to the third spot in the points table with 10 points, sharing the same points tally with Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad, also with 10 points, slid to fourth place after their fourth defeat.
Chasing a target of 213 runs, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma provided a brisk start, but Deshpande’s impactful spell rattled Sunrisers’ top order, leaving them struggling at 40 for 3 in the fourth over.
Despite valiant efforts from Nitish Reddy and Aiden Markram, Sunrisers failed to recover as CSK’s bowlers executed their strategies to perfection. Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur played pivotal roles in restricting Sunrisers’ scoring opportunities after the powerplay.
Ultimately, Sunrisers’ chase faltered, with Mitchell’s exceptional fielding performance resulting in five crucial catches, sealing CSK’s victory.
Earlier in the innings, Gaikwad’s partnership with Mitchell set the stage for CSK’s imposing total, with Gaikwad narrowly missing out on a century. His aggressive approach, coupled with Mitchell’s steady support, laid a solid foundation for CSK’s innings.
Despite Gaikwad’s dismissal in the final over, CSK managed to accumulate a formidable total, thanks to contributions from other batsmen like Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube.
CSK’s victory marked their 35th 200-plus total in T20 cricket, reaffirming their dominance in the format.
