Yesterday Match Result: Kishan helps SRH chase down 181 at Chepauk, seal playoff berth along with GT, RCB
Chepauk's magic wasn't enough as Ishan Kishan's stellar knock powered SRH into the playoffs, leaving CSK's hopes hanging by a thread. Despite a slow pitch and a sea of yellow, Kishan defied the odds, outshining a sidelined MS Dhoni. SRH's victory, coupled with smart bowling from Pat Cummins, proved decisive.
Chennai: The magic of Chepauk was in full view on Monday night, but it wasn’t enough. A slow pitch, the spin choke, the sea of yellow in the stands, everything seemed to fall into place. But there was an Ishan Kishan standing in the way.
As a ‘still unfit’ MS Dhoni — the architect of many such magic nights for CSK — watched from the dressing room, Kishan played the kind of innings one expects from a top Indian batter. The victory took SRH into the playoffs along with Gujarat Titans and RCB, while CSK’s hopes now hang by a thread. Chasing 181 was not going to be easy on a pitch where the ball refused to come on to the bat.
Add to that the dimensions of Chepauk, which are not exactly over-boundary friendly. Wickets fell around Kishan and even trusted wrecker-in-inchief Heinrich Klaasen got out at the wrong moment, stumped off left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad after a brilliant 47 off 26 balls. But Kishan found that zone one saw during India’s famous win against Pakistan in Colombo a few months ago.
He gave himself a little bit of time, allowed Klaasen to prosper during the course of their 75-run third-wicket partnership and then cut loose once the South African was dismissed. In the 18th over, bowled by left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary, Kishan found the big hits and took 15, virtually killing off the game. Kishan fell with six runs still needed but SRH did enough to get over the line in the 19th over.