CSK end run of defeats, beat SRH by 20 runs

Dubai, October 13, 2020

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who come into Tuesday's match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the back of two successive defeats, won by 20 runs for their third win of the 13th edition of the tournament.

After scoring 167/6 wickets in their 20 overs, CSK restricted SRH to 147/8 wickets at the Dubai International Stadium.

CSK kept SRH in check throughout the run chase, but the latter looked like they had the upper hand during the third wicket stand between Jonny Bairstow (23) and Kane Williamson (57).

Ravindra Jadeja (1/21) broke the stand, after it had produced 32 runs, by taking Bairstow's middle stump after which Priyam Garg put up 40 with Williamson for the fourth.

Shardul Thakur (1/10) and Dwayne Bravo (2/25) put the brakes on the SRH innings in the last two overs. Rashid Khan (14) was dismissed via hit-wicket off Shardul off the last ball of the penultimate over after which Bravo conceded just one run in the last.

Earlier, an 81-run stand between Ambati Rayudu (41) and Shane Watson (42), followed by a 10-ball 25 from Jadeja late in the innings, helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) score 167/6 wickets.

CSK had won the toss and chose to bat for the first time in this tournament. They sent Sam Curran (31) to open the innings with Faf du Plessis (0) in place of Watson, making it the first time since 2017 that the Australian has not come out as an opener for his team in the IPL.

du Plessis fell to Sandeep Sharma (2/19) for a first ball duck after waiting for two overs to get on strike. Curran became Sandeep's second wicket of the day after which Watson and Rayudu provided stability to CSK.

After the pair fell, MS Dhoni and later Jadeja pushed CSK beyond the 150-run mark.

Brief scores: CSK 167/6 wkts in 20 overs (Shane Watson 42, Ambati Rayudu 41; Sandeep Sharma 2/19) beat SRH 147/8 wkts in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 57, Jonny Bairstow 23; Shardul Thakur 1/10) by 20 runs

IANS