Chennai Super Kings (CSK) registered their third win in IPL 2022 as the MS Dhoni-led side defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 13 runs at MCA Stadium in Pune on Sunday night.
Chasing a daunting 203-run target, Hyderabad were off to a flying start as Abhishek Sharma and Kane Williamson accumulated 46 runs in the first 4 overs. But the dismissal of Abhishek and Rahul Tripathi on successive deliveries at the end of the powerplay hindered their momentum.
Williamson tried to play a sheet anchor role from one end but wickets kept tumbling from other end under the scoreboard pressure. With 72 runs needed off the last five overs, Nicholas Pooran threw his bat at everything but failed to take Hyderabad over the line. Mukesh Choudhary was the pick of the bowler for CSK as he returned with the figures of 4 for 46.
Earlier, Chennai openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway sent Hyderabad bowlers for a leather hunt all around the park as they stitched a 182-run opening stand. This was the highest opening stand of IPL 2022.
Gaikwad was at his destructive best and smashes half a dozen sixes and as many fours. But he suffered a major heartbreak as the 25-year-old batter fell short of his second IPL century by just one run. Meanwhile, Conway scored a well-constructed 85 off 55 balls as Chennai posted 202-2. MS Dhoni promoted himself up the order after Gaikwad's wicket but failed to make an impact.