Sunrisers Hyderabad cruise to a win over Chennai Super Kings

The two teams shake hands at the end of the match

Hyderabad, May 3 (IANS)

Sunrisers Hyderabad came out with a strong team performance to defeat Indian Premier League (IPL) table-toppers Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 22 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Saturday night.

Put into bat, Sunrisers piled on a challenging 192/7 in 20 overs with the help of skipper David Warner, who smashed a 28-ball-61, which included 11 boundaries and one six to set up the platform for the hosts to go on and score a big total.

In reply, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side could only manage 170/6, handing the Sunrisers their fourth win in eight matches in the Twenty20 tournament.

Opening batsman Warner led from the front as he accelerated at a rapid pace. The left-hander was well assisted by opening partner Shikhar Dhawan. Together they struck an impressive 86-run partnership for the opening wicket. After Warner got out, Dhawan anchored the innings with a solid 37.

Later in the innings, Eoin Morgan (32 not out) and wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha (20) struck important cameos to take the hosts to what proved to be a winning total. Moises Henriques also contributed with 19 important runs.

Medium pacer Dwayne Bravo was the pick of the Super Kings bowlers as he picked up three wickets for 25 in four overs while Ashish Nehra, Suresh Raina and Pawan Negi clinched a wicket each.

In reply, Super Kings batted well, but no one rose to the occasion which proved to be fatal for the visitors. Opener Dwayne Smith (21), Suresh Raina (23), Faf du Plessis (33) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (20) – all contributed, but no one took the responsibility to anchor the innings or bat till the end to see the Super Kings home. Bravo, 25 not out, smacked three boundaries at the end, but his attempt was well short of what was required.

Medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and all-rounder Henriques took two wickets each for the Sunrisers while Ashish Reddy scalped one.