Rayudu hits purple patch

Hyderabad, April 23

Dwayne Bravo bowled consistently in the block-hole in a tense finish as Chennai Super Kings prevailed over a weakened Sunrisers Hyderabad by four runs to consolidate their position at the top. Sent in to bat, CSK were well served by Ambati Rayudu’s smashing 79 off 37 balls and Suresh Raina’s 43-ball 54 as they posted a challenging 182. The visitors then stopped the hosts at 178/6, with medium-pacer Deepak Chahar (3/15) doing the bulk of the damage.
Needing 33 runs in the last two overs, Yusuf Pathan and Rashid Khan blasted a six each off Shardul Thakur in the penultimate over. Given the final over with Hyderabad requiring 19 runs, Bravo was hit for a six and a four by Khan to bring down the equation to six off one. The West Indian, however, managed to get the last delivery in the block-hole, and Khan could score just a single off it. For the home team, Williamson top-scored with 84 off 51 balls. Williamson found an able ally in Pathan (45 off 27 balls) as they raised hopes of an SRH victory with a brisk 79-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Requiring more than 12 runs per over in the last four overs, Pathan blasted Bravo and Shardul Thakur for four sixes after Williamson had smashed spinner Karn Sharma for three in the 15th over. Unfortunately, neither of the two could stay until the end to see the team home. Earlier, Rayudu and Raina added 112 runs for the third wicket as SRH struggled for breakthroughs. While Rayudu hit four sixes and nine boundaries, the more experienced Raina found the fence five times and cleared it twice. Dhoni then blazed his way to a 12-ball 25, hitting three boundaries and a six as the two-time champions crossed 180.

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