CSK Crush SRH by 78 Runs, Gaikwad Stars with 98
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) registered a resounding 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, thanks to a brilliant 98 from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and a clinical bowling performance led by Tushar Deshpande.
Gaikwad, who missed out on a century by a whisker, anchored CSK’s innings with a 54-ball knock that included 10 fours and three sixes. He shared a crucial 107-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell, who contributed a valuable 52 off 32 balls. Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 39 off 20 balls propelled CSK to a formidable 212 for three.
In response, SRH’s batting faltered under the pressure of Deshpande’s early three-wicket burst. The pacer removed Travis Head, Anmolpreet Singh, and Abhishek Sharma in quick succession, leaving SRH reeling at 40 for 3. Nitish Reddy and Aiden Markram attempted to rebuild the innings, but Ravindra Jadeja and Matheesha Pathirana struck to leave SRH in tatters at 85 for 5.
Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad tried to salvage the situation, but the CSK bowlers maintained a tight grip on the game. Jadeja bowled an economical spell of 4-0-22-1, while Shardul Thakur frustrated the batters with his wide outside off deliveries. Mitchell took five catches in the outfield as SRH were eventually bowled out for 134 in 18.5 overs.
Gaikwad’s innings was the cornerstone of CSK’s success. The skipper played aggressively from the outset, hitting boundaries at will. He brought up his 17th IPL half-century off just 27 deliveries and looked set for a second consecutive century. However, the heat and humidity of Chennai seemed to take its toll as he was dismissed in the final over.
The victory ended CSK’s two-game losing streak and lifted them to third place in the IPL standings with 10 points. SRH, also with 10 points, dropped to fourth after their fourth loss.
