Hyderabad: It was indeed an all round performance by the Sunrisers Hyderabad led by skipper David Warner (61 off 28) from the front as they beat MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings by 22 runs, at the Rajiv Gandhi International cricket stadium, here on Saturday. MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to field.
Warner smashed a blistering 28-ball 61 and a smart cameo from Eoin Morgan (32) ultimately powered the Sunrisers Hyderabad to a competitive score of 192-7 after 20 overs.
Check out: Points table
The Super Kings defeated the Sunrisers by 45 runs in their previous encounter in Chennai on April 11. Having lost to Kolkata Knight Riders, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai side would look to consolidate its position in the tournament with a win over the home side.
Here's how the action unfolded
CSK: 170-6 (20 overs)
It's a bowler's treat to watch stumps falling and Bhuvneshwar Kumar did exactly the same leaving just one stump standing as he sent Pawan Negi, who looked dangerous back. Negi scored 15 runs. Ravindra Jadeja has joined Bravo in the middle.
A good presence of mind from Ashish Reddy helped SRH break the budding partnership between Dhoni and du Plessis. An odd run-out saw du Plessis walking back for 33 runs.
(Photo: BCCI)
Reddy was not done there as in the next ball itself, he cleaned the CSK skipper's woodwork, Dhoni was left astounded and had to walk back after scoring just 20 runs.
The most unlucky dismissal? @faf1307 would be dreading that one - @ChennaiIPL #CSK #IPL #SRHvsCSK https://t.co/5R4ApRBzxI
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 2, 2015
The asking rate for CSK is slowly creeping up and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has just joined du Plessis has accelerated his scoring rate.
Hyderabad looks to be lucky for Henriques as he has just taken another wicket, and an important one that of Suresh Raina, who was looking dangerous. SRH might just have an edge in the game but CSK bat deep.
Moises Henriques provided SRH with the next breakthrough sending Dwayne Smith back to the pavillion to join McCullum. Smith added 21 runs to the total. In the middle now are Faf du Plessis and Raina.
The loss of McCullum doesn't seem to affect Raina and Smith as both these CSK batsmen are firing and sending the ball all across the park. A partnership needs to be established here.
(Photo: BCCI)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has provided SRH with the breakthrough, this time Brendon McCullum chopping the ball back to the stumps. The Kiwi batsman scored just 12 runs. Suresh Raina has joined Dwayne Smith in the middle.
(Photo: BCCI)
CSK have started off their run-chase in style, Brendon McCullum firing three consecutive boundaries in the first over itself.
SRH: 192-7 (20 overs)
CSK look to be getting back into the game after West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has now sent Ashish Reddy back for just 6 runs. SRH, at one point of time looked to score beyond the 200 mark but regular fall of wickets has helped CSK get back on track.
Ashish Reddy has joined Morgan in the middle.
Eoin Morgan and Naman Ojha were putting up a great partnership and then came in 35-year-old Ashish Nehra, who crashed Ojha's woodwork sending the SRH batsman back for just 20 runs.
Play has been stopped at Hyderabad as one of the stadium lights has gone off and the players are off the field.
Oops. One of the lights have gone off. Small stoppage in play. #OrangeArmy #SRHvCSK #KiraakMoment
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 2, 2015
Earlier, David Warner took the attack to the CSK bowlers scoring a quick 61 off 28 deliveries, an innings that was laced with 11 boundaries and a huge six. And with that blistering knock, he has also become the current holder of the Orange Cap surpassing Ajinkya Rahane of the Rajasthan Royals.
(Photo: BCCI)
In the middle now are Eoin Morgan and Naman Ojha.
It was a brilliant piece of fielding from Ravindra Jadeja, who was instrumental in sending SRH southpaw Shikhar Dhawan (36) back to the dugout.
Shikhar Dhawan remains strong in the crease as Sunrisers are going at a great run-rate and have wickets in hand.
Chennai's strong contingent of MS Dhoni, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo in the batting department and Ashish Nehra, Mohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Pawan Negi in bowling can give nightmares to any team with their brilliance.
Check out: Six players to watch out for
It is the combined strength of the side that puts it on top of others in the event and the opposition will have to come with all their guns blazing to gain the upper hand.
The Sunrisers, playing their first match in Hyderabad this season, are beset with middle-order batting problems. Captain David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, the opening pair, have given a decent start to their innings in the tournament and the other batsmen KL Rahul, Naman Ojha, Ravi Bopara, Moises Henriques and local lad Hanuma Vihari are expected to help the team's cause on Saturday.
Bowling has been the potent weapon in the armoury of Sunrisers with the presence of highly-competitive Trent Boult, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, all-rounder Moises Henriques, Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma.
Sunrisers suffered a setback with their overseas player Kevin Pietersen pulling out of the IPL this season to play for English cricket. The home ground has often been lucky for the Hyderabad side.
