When the IPL began, everyone knew Chennai had picked up a good team but doubts loomed regarding the average age of the side. This wasn’t a young side, this was like the Expendables coming together for one last mission. But then the Expendables do get the mission done, Chennai Super Kings are the Champions of the eleventh edition of IPL. Shane Watson 117(57)had one of the memorable nights of his life with an unbeaten hundred. MS Dhoni adds another trophy to his tally.
Score
SunRisers Hyderabad 178(6 wkts, 20 overs)
Chennai Super Kings 181 (2 wickets, 20 overs )
see also: Toughest IPL Final 2018: Who will be the match winner- MS Dhoni or Rashid Khan
Earlier CSK had the won the toss and put the opposition in to bat. SRH, the side with the best bowling attack of the tournament would have fancied defending anything around 180. The gamble with Shreevats Goswami didn’t work for SRH and Kane Williamson47(36) and Shikhar Dhawan 26(25)laid a solid foundation for the big hitters to follow. The hitters did deliver with Yusuf Pathan 45(25) finding form at the right moment, ably supported by Carlos Brathwaite 21(11) and Shakib Al Hasan 23(15). The pace battery of CSK hit the right lengths as Lungi Ngidi (4-1-26-1)and Deepak Chahar(4-0-25-0) returned decent figures. With 178 on board, SRH may have felt a few runs short but would have taken heart from it’s bowling armoury that includes the likes of Rashid Khan and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.
The bowling Trump cards did deliver for SRH with Bhuvi(4-1-17-0) and Rashid (4-1-24-1)going not for much. But then Watson and Co marked other bowlers as they went for plenty. Sidharth Kauls 3 overs went for 43 and Sandeep Sarmas four overs fetched 52 for Chennai. When someone of the calibre of Shane Watson is having a good night in the IPL, the results are bound to go his way more often than not. Chennai won with 8 balls to spare, one of the more emphatic final wins in IPL.
Chennai made a come back in to this years IPL after serving a two year ban. They faced more trouble when political issues forced their home ground out of Chennai to Pune. But Dhoni and his team adapted well and with so many match winners around, they kept winning matches on individual brilliances from moments that seemed unlikely to win. Chennaiyans would have certainly missed not having Thalaiva around in their place.. Congratulations Chennai SuperKings.
Post Your Comments