Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced their second consecutive defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured a six-wicket victory guided by Abhishek Sharma's explosive batting and a clinical bowling performance.
Abhishek Sharma's brilliant knock of 37 runs off just 12 balls proved to be the turning point of the match after CSK set a target of 166 runs. Sharma's aggressive batting, including three sixes and a four, set the momentum in SRH's favor during the powerplay overs.
Despite a late comeback attempt from CSK's Maheesh Theekshana, who ended a 60-run partnership between SRH's Travis Head and Aiden Markram, the damage inflicted in the powerplay ensured SRH maintained control of the game.
Head and Markram displayed composed batting, with Markram even reaching a half-century, before falling victim to Moeen Ali's bowling. Nitish Reddy's finishing touches, including a crucial maximum, sealed the victory for SRH with eleven deliveries to spare.
CSK's innings saw Shivam Dube top-scoring with 45 runs off 24 balls, supported by Ajinkya Rahane's valuable contribution of 35 runs off 30 deliveries. However, SRH's bowlers, including Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Pat Cummins, and Jaydev Unadkat, restricted CSK to a moderate total by taking wickets at crucial junctures.
Earlier, CSK's batting was led by Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra, who provided a controlled start, but SRH's Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pat Cummins struck early to claim important wickets. Shivam Dube's explosive innings and contributions from Rahane, Dube, and Daryl Mitchell pushed CSK to a total of 165/5.
Despite CSK's efforts, SRH's dominant display with both bat and ball secured them a convincing victory in the IPL encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
