IPL 2018, Qualifier 1, SRH vs CSK: A 'Faf'ulous innings helps Chennai win a thriller against SRH 

The table-toppers were playing the 1st Qualifier in Mumbai, and the two-time Champions Chennai Super Kings got the perfect start, after putting in SRH to bat first.

Sunrisers lost their first wicket of the very first ball and wickets fell on a regular basis and the run-rate was low. SRH's middle order yet again failed, but thanks to Carlos Brathwaite's 29-ball 43 they could reach set a target of 140 against the mighty CSK.

Defending a low total SRH seem to have found their mojo back, as they picked up six wickets within the first thirteen overs, at an economy rate less than 5. The orange army was on course to their second finals but one man in yellow jersey had something else on his mind.

Faf du Plessis played a phenomenal innings scoring 67 off 42 balls in a closely fought encounter. In the last two overs, Shardul Thakur played a crucial 5-ball 15 cameo and made things easy for the man of the match who finished off the match with a six of the first of the twentieth over.

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Here are some of Twitter reactions from the thrilling match:

What a game. A total roller coaster ride. @ChennaiIPL didn’t lose heart and @SunRisers played their hearts out!! Well done guys 👍 #SRHvCSK

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 22, 2018

From the headquarters of the film industry, come the finest scripts!! #Chennai. #CSK

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 22, 2018

CSK's great escapes in last three overs:47 off 2.5 vs MI, Wankhede41 off 2.5 vs KKR, Chennai44 off 2.4 vs RCBm Bengaluru43 off 2.1 vs SRH, Wankhede#SRHvCSK #IPL2018

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) May 22, 2018

Carlos Braithwait bowling the 18th over. Kaul bowling the 19th ahead of Bhuvneshwar. Rare captaincy errors from one of the finest captains in the #IPL #SRHvCSK

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 22, 2018

What an innings from @faf1307 , on a surface where everyone struggled , an exceptional innings. @ChennaiIPL is truly a champion. Romba nalla victory #SRHvCSK

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 22, 2018

CSK qualifies for the finals. #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/kdC2MoaK6B

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) May 22, 2018

IPL finals be like. #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/EhTZ6TheT0

— Bade Chote (@badechote) May 22, 2018

Fantastic finish by Faf... great game to watch! #CSK

— Albie Morkel (@albiemorkel) May 22, 2018

And the hand that giveth is the hand that taketh. Thakur concedes 20 in the last over. Now 15 from 5 balls.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 22, 2018

9 Seasons9 Plays offs7 FinalsName is CSK!

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) May 22, 2018

Faf du Plessis - First 24 balls, 21 runs, next 18 balls, 46 runs - #CSK through to their 7th #IPL final#SRHvCSK #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/bQmSvnKoVJ

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 22, 2018

Scoring 100 & duck vs a team in a season:AB de Villiers v CSK (2009)D Warner v KKR (2010)C Gayle vs KXIP (2011)A Gilchrist v RCB (2011)M Vijay v DD (2012)V Kohli v GL (2016)A Rayudu v SRH (2018)#SRHvCSK #IPL2018

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) May 22, 2018

FAF .......

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 22, 2018

Faf do please us.

— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) May 22, 2018

If only Kane could hear screaming bowl Buvi then Kaul and take the game to the last over. I've admire his captaincy throughout this ipl but this was the turning point @scottbstyris #SelectDugou

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) May 22, 2018

Box office 👌 https://t.co/mZjH0bFOLb

— Eoin Morgan (@Eoin16) May 22, 2018

#SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/YUyPds7iVN

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) May 22, 2018

#CSK & #VIVOIPL finals:2008 - ✅2010 - ✅2011 - ✅2012 - ✅2013 - ✅2015 - ✅2018 - They 'du' it again, beating #SRH by 2 wickets!#SRHvCSK #VIVOIPL #BESTvsBEST @ChennaiIPL

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 22, 2018

Well played @ChennaiIPL ! What a game. Awesome to watch the comeback

— Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) May 22, 2018

Faf was acquired using RTM by #CSK....was having a middling #IPL till this moment. Cometh the hour, Cometh Faf Du Plessis. What an innings under pressure....#CSKvSRH #IPL

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 22, 2018

For CSK this season:Watson won a game..Rayudu won a game..Raina won a game..Bravo won a game..Dhoni won a game..Jaddu won a game..Lungi won a game..Faf won a game..Every game they found an hero!

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) May 22, 2018

IPL men’s game ✅ bucket list . Congrats @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/OYBZA1oTiu

— Danielle Wyatt (@Danni_Wyatt) May 22, 2018

Truly remarkable! What an innings from @faf1307 under pressure & some brilliant support from Shardul. Someone or other always finds a way to make this team win. Just unbelievable. Congratulations to CSK for making it to the final. Great effort but hard luck today, SunRisers! #IPL pic.twitter.com/xeP35sA8TY

— R P Singh (@rpsingh) May 22, 2018

Carlos Braithwaite hadn't bowled at such a crunch situation so far this IPL. He felt the pressure and @faf1307 pounced on it completely with all his experience. To me that was the game changing moment from today. #SRHvCSK

— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) May 22, 2018

Pretty funny to see Pritam giving "Nayi Soch" award.

— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) May 22, 2018

FAFULOUSLY YOURS! #whistlepodu pic.twitter.com/Fa5QZCqE4T

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 22, 2018

Individuals can win you matches, but only a team can win you championships, when one fails the other pulls up , @ChennaiIPL doing just that...and not the first time #IPL2018 #SRHvCSK

— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) May 22, 2018

What an incredible game yet again in the #IPL!! Faf has been phenomenal. Showing all his experience #SRHvCSK 🔥

— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) May 22, 2018

Faf du Plessis carries the bat and CSK into the final of #VIVOIPL 2018!#CricketMeriJaan #SRHvCSK

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 22, 2018

7th IPL final for the Dhoni led @ChennaiIPL in 9 years. No player has ever led his side to so many finals. It's like a special magic that's being weaved year after year. Something that's not quite ordinary. Without doubt the 'BEST SIDE' in IPL ever. Period #SRHvCSK

— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) May 22, 2018

Need a honest answer from all @ChennaiIPL fans...how many of you thought except for @msdhoni with his pads on in dugout and @faf1307 with the bat in the middle, that this miracle at Wankhede could happen? Honestly I did imagine this :) #SRHvCSK #WhistlePodu

— G. S. Vivek (@GSV1980) May 22, 2018

The most difficult things to understand for humans :1. Quantum physics2. Thermodynamics3. Rocket science4. Rashid Khan's googly#SRHvCSK

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) May 22, 2018

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Williamson, after he gave 18th over to Braithwaite. #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/b3IhIhwQpC

— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) May 22, 2018

MS Dhoni in #IPL finals for the 8th time - the most by any player!2008 - CSK2010 - CSK 2011 - CSK 2012 - CSK 2013 - CSK 2015 - CSK 2017 - RPS2018 - CSK#SRHvCSK#IPL2018 #WhistlePodu

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 22, 2018

CSK surely fixes one thing in every IPL, their spot in finals 😊#SRHvCSK

— Dr. Gill (@ikpsgill1) May 22, 2018

Ah, CSK.They always manage somehow.No worries, SRH.You'll get another shot in the Final.#SRHvCSK

— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) May 22, 2018

"Our Final Is Our Final , None Of Your Final" - Chennai Super Kings#SRHvCSK

— Roshni Walia (@RoshniWalia45) May 22, 2018

Who needs cheerleaders, when you have Imran Tahir in the dugout?#SRHvCSK

— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) May 22, 2018

Rashid Khan :Virat Kohli ✔AB de Villiers ✔MS Dhoni ✔No one picked his googly. What a bowler!#SRHvCSK

— Jaanvi 🏏 (@ThatCricketBuff) May 22, 2018

Mumbai Indians are the only side to win an #IPL title after losing 1st qualifier. They did it twice in 2013 and 2017#SRHvCSK#IPL2018

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 22, 2018

Winning runs with a six! Faf Du Dhoni! #SRHvCSK

— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) May 22, 2018

Btw What's the role of Harbhajan Singh in CSK?? Is he playing as batsman? #SRHvCSK

— Anshuman Mishra (@Anshuman86m) May 22, 2018

What a turnaround for Jadeja since dropping those two catches of Sunil Narine. Pehle hi chhod deta bhai. 😂#SRHvCSK

— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) May 22, 2018

https://twitter.com/ImAbhay3/status/998934411113459712

It keeps getting better 😍11cr Manish Pandey's scores vs CSK since his last 50 against them:12(9)10(13)13(6)9(8)1(2)18(28)*0(1)32(19)15(20)3(10)0(2)5(6)8(16) TODAY126 runs in 13 inns averaging 10 striking at 87😍#SRHvCSK

— Abhay3 (@ImAbhay3) May 22, 2018

What a catch @DJBravo47😍 #GoCSK🤘 #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/VOAQK2jNgm

— Innocent soul👶 (@Imcckr) May 22, 2018

its quite unfair that CSK get to play at a home ground every time,whereas the the others get to play at home only half the time.😂 #SRHvCSK

— ashir gowardhan (@housterhAIs) May 22, 2018

Most ducks in playoff matches in IPL:3 - Suresh Raina3 - SHIKHAR DHAWAN*#SRHvCSK

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) May 22, 2018

Pic 1: Dhawan in league matchesPic 2: Dhawan in playoffs #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/MRqpbY9gKi

— King NK (@TrollVirat) May 22, 2018