IPL 2018 Playoffs, CSK vs SRH: Hits and Misses 

It was tipped to be a mouth-watering clash as the table-toppers clashed in the first Qualifier and it lived up to its billing. CSK won a hum-dinger as they held nerve in the end and qualified for their 7th IPL final.

MS Dhoni won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first. And the CSK bowlers justified their captain’s decision as they had SRH reeling at 50/4.

None of the SRH top-order batsmen got going, and they also had a couple of unlucky dismissals. Kane Williamson who was looking in fine touch was strangled down leg and so was Shakib Al Hasan.

Yusuf Pathan tried to resurrect the innings but even he fell after scoring a 29-ball 24. At 88/6 in 15 overs, SRH were staring down the barrel, but Carlos Braithwaite struck a timely 29-ball 43 as he targeted Shardul Thakur and took the ‘Men in Orange’ to 139 at the end of 20 overs.

In reply, CSK were also off to a similar start as Shane Watson was out to a beauty from Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

But Suresh Raina calmed the nerves with a quick-fire 22, but Siddarth Kaul brought SRH back in the game with two wickets in two balls.

Rashid Khan then went through MS Dhoni’s defences as CSK slipped to 39/4. That soon turned into 62/6 and things looked slim for CSK.

But Faf du Plessis batted through and kept CSK in the hunt. He plundered 20 runs in the 18th over before Shardul Thakur took everyone by surprise, as he hit Siddarth Kaul for three fours to reduce the equation to just 6 off 6.

Faf du Plessis then finished off the chase with a six, as CSK went through to the final as they won a thrilling game by 2 wickets and 5 balls to spare.

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#5 Miss: SRH top-order

Kane Williamson looked in superb touch in his innings of 24

Despite having some decent players in the middle-order, the SRH middle-order has been fragile this season. Hence, top-order has done the bulk of the run-scoring this season and have taken a lot more responsibility. In fact, Kane Williamson and Shikhar Dhawan have scored more than 1100 runs combined.

The duo were the fulcrum of the SRH batting line-up. However, on the big day, they failed in unison. Shikhar Dhawan was out first ball of the game, as he dragged a short of length delivery off Deepak Chahar back onto his stumps. His poor run in the playoffs of the IPL continued.

On the other hand, Shreevats Goswami continued to open the batting alongside Dhawan after SRH opted to persist with Carlos Braithwaite, leaving out Alex Hales. However, he struggled against the pace of Lungi Ngidi and eventually fell to the South African quick for 12.

The biggest loss for the ‘Men in Orange’ was that of Kane Williamson. The SRH skipper walked out to the middle on the second delivery of the game.

However, he seemed to be in the zone as, despite the early loss of Dhawan, he struck three elegant boundaries in the first over.

He looked in terrific touch and was timing the ball beautifully. But he was out in the 5th over as he was strangled down leg-side off Shardul Thakur. It was a bad ball and should’ve been put away but Williamson gloved it to Dhoni and was out for 24.

In a crunch game, SRH’s top-order failed to deliver and the top three were knocked over early (they were 36/3).

#4 Hit: Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan was outstanding as he had an economy of 2.75 in this game

Rashid Khan has undoubtedly been the spinner of the tournament. He’s been absolutely phenomenal, especially while SRH have defended. Every time SRH needed him, he’s delivered.

In this game, Rashid was once again simply brilliant. The Kane Williamson-led side were defending just 140 on a decent pitch, Rashid Khan produced a spell of 4 overs and conceded just 11 runs and picked up 2 wickets.

He was introduced into the attack in the 8th over, and CSK were already three down. But he dented their hopes further as he prized out MS Dhoni with a magnificent wrong’un and castled the CSK skipper.

He then dismissed Dwayne Bravo in his 3rd over, as he shifted the balance in SRH’s favour. He bowled a terrific last over and conceded just 1 run (in the 16th over of the chase) and finished with figures of 2/11.

He also affected a superb runout with a rocket throw from deep extra cover to dismiss Harbhajan Singh. It was another excellent day for the young Afghan leggie.

#3 Miss: MS Dhoni

Dhoni failed to get going in this game

MS Dhoni has had an excellent IPL this year. He’s been brilliant with the bat and his captaincy, as usual, has been superb. He’s also been very good in run-chases and has taken CSK home in quite a few games.

However, in this first Qualifier, Dhoni had an off day. He was uncharacteristically poor with the gloves as he missed a couple of runouts. But he also failed with the bat.

He walked out to bat in the 4th over after CSK had lost three quicks wickets. At 24/3, Dhoni was the right kind of person for CSK to be in the middle. Dhoni, as usual, looked to bid his time at the crease and rotated the strike. However, he was dismissed by a beauty from Rashid Khan.

The CSK skipper was undone by a wonderful wrong’un and was bowled through the gate. He was out for 9 and CSK were 39/4 at that stage.

#2 Hit: Carlos Brathwaite

Carlos Braithwaite had a very good game

Carlos Braithwaite will be forever remembered for those four magnificent sixes in the World T20 final in 2016.

However, he’s been quite patchy since then (both in international cricket and domestic T20 games). He was bought by SRH in this year’s auction for Rs 2 crore but, didn’t play a single match until the final league game.

SRH’s bowling struggled in the last few games where they have tapered off after being the best bowling side of the tournament.

Hence, they opted for an additional bowler in Carlos Brathwaite who can also be handy with the ball. In that last game against KKR, he did well with the ball where he picked up 2/21 and was SRH’s best bowler.

In this game though, he delivered with the bat, as he scored an excellent unbeaten 43. He came into bat at No. 7 and SRH were in trouble at 69/5.

The West Indian all-rounder who is known for his big-hitting gave himself time at the start. He was 8 off 15 deliveries at the end of 17th over.

But he spotted that CSK have not been great at the death in this tournament and hence he targeted them from the 17th over and succeeded. He struck 4 sixes and 1 four and propelled SRH to 139. He was severe on Shardul Thakur as he plundered 20 runs off him in the final over.

Brathwaite also bowled a couple of decent overs conceding just 11 runs before going for 20 in his 3rd (18 of the innings). He also took a stunning catch at long-on to dismiss Deepak Chahar.

#1 Hit: Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis was magnificent as he took the game deep and took CSK home.

The South African skipper hasn’t had the best of IPLs this year. He was constantly in and out of the side.

But with Sam Billings not consistent and looking out of form in the last few games, CSK went with the experience of Faf du Plessis in the all-important Qualifier.

There was criticism over his selection, as it would push the in-form Ambati Rayudu down to No. 4. But the South African skipper delivered when it mattered the most, as he took the ‘Men in Yellow’ home when everyone thought it was all over for CSK.

He once again walked out to open the batting but faced his first delivery in the third over. He didn’t get much of the strike, as he faced just 17 deliveries in the first 10 overs.

But even as wickets fell around him, he held one end up. He stayed till the end and then launched a brilliant attack when the pressure mounted. CSK were 97/7 at the end of 17 overs and they still needed 43 runs in the last 3 overs.

That’s when du Plessis took charge and shifted the game and momentum. He hit Carlos Brathwaite for three fours and a six and fetched 20 runs of that 18th over. He then did get some support from Shardul Thakur, who struck three boundaries in the 19th over to bring the equation down to just 6 off the last over.

Du Plessis then finished things off with a wonderful six straight down the ground to seal the game. He finished an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls and was the hero of the game as CSK got out of jail once again.