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IPL 2018, Qualifier 1: CSK strangle SRH, need 140 to make it to final

Carlos Brathwaite’s 29-ball unbeaten 43 enabled SRH to some respectability.

All the CSK bowlers were among wickets (Image courtesy: IANS)
All the CSK bowlers were among wickets (Image courtesy: IANS)

It had rained sixes throughout VIVO IPL 2018, but the first one in Qualifier 1 came as late as 18th over, that too off the blade of Carlos Brathwaite. The second came off the next ball. Brathwaite top-scored with a 29-ball 43 not out, and smacked the only 4 sixes in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) innings of 139 for 7 after even 120 looked difficult at one stage. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) gave SRH barely any scope to open their arms as they restricted the league-stage table-toppers to 139 for 7 in 20 overs in the Qualifier 1 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Trivia: SRH defended 118 against Mumbai Indians at the same venue early in the tournament

With a 7 pm start, the toss was going to be more important than the league matches, and it was evident that either side would have opted to chase at Wankhede. MS Dhoni called right and invited SRH to bat. SRH were straightaway on back foot when Shikhar Dhawan chopped the first ball of the match from Deepak Chahar on to the stumps.

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Kane Williamson continued his brilliant form and struck 3 fours in the over. He, along with Shreevats Goswami, began a counterattack and added 34 inside 4 overs before the latter hit Lungi Ngidi back to him.

Three balls later, Williamson, who had just regained the Orange Cap, perished to a short ball outside leg from Shardul Thakur, for a 15-ball 24. Inside the Powerplay, SRH had lost Dhawan and Williamson, the men who contributed to over 49 per cent of the team’s runs this season.

Shakib Al Hasan looked good during his brief stay, striking 2 fours before falling to a short ball from Bravo, getting a faint edge to Dhoni.

Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan found it tough to keep the scoreboard moving, especially against Jadeja. They added 19 in 29 balls before Pandey lobbed one straight back to Jadeja. Pandey’s dismal run in IPL 2018 continued. He fell for 8 off 16 balls. Brathwaite, picked ahead of Alex Hales, then survived a run out scare in the second ball.

Just when it seemed Yusuf would open up, he was spectacularly caught by Bravo off his own bowling. Yusuf hit the ball hard, low, and straight, but Bravo bent down, caught the ball, and rolled over in one fluid movement to provide a spectacle only a West Indian could have.

Brathwaite and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (7 in 11) added 51 for the seventh wicket. However, SRH missed a trick by not sending in power-hitter Rashid Khan ahead of Bhuvi.

Brief scores:

Sunrisers Hyderabad 139 for 7 in 20 overs [Kane Williamson 24 (15), Yusuf Pathan 24 (29), Carlos Brathwaite 43 (29)*; Dwayne Bravo 4-0-25-2, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-13-1].

Full Scorecard

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