5 most iconic matches between CSK and SRH in the IPL
The 29th match of IPL 2023 will witness the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lock horns with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, April 21. It will be nothing less than a David versus Goliath battle, not from the point of view of the squad they possess but from their respective positions in the table and performances this season.
On paper, SRH seem to have a more balanced side compared to CSK, but matches are not won on paper. Chennai are well placed in third position with three wins out of five, while Hyderabad are reeling in ninth spot with just two wins from five outings.
It's just one win that separates the two teams in the table, but their respective net run rates tell you about their contrast in performance in the league so far.
SRH have been pretty inconsistent so far and will be looking to turn the tides against a formidable CSK side whose batting prowess have been effectively aided by their weak link, bowling.
The two teams have been involved in some great matches in the past. In 18 matches so far, CSK have the upper hand with a 13-5 head-to-head record against SRH.
On that note, let's take a look at five of the best encounters between CSK and SRH in the IPL.
#5 IPL 2013, 34th Match, Chepauk
On a two-paced Chepauk pitch, the newly formed Sunrisers Hyderabad were facing a stern challenge from then-two-time champions CSK.
SRH opener Shikhar Dhawan 63* (45) carried the bat, but the lack of support from the other end meant they were pegged at 116-6 in the 18th over and were looking for an under-par total of 130 or so. But a blinder of a cameo from Ashish Reddy 36* (45) propelled the total to a challenging score of 159/6.
In response, after a fiery start, CSK lost their plot, with SRH bowlers chipping in with wickets at regular intervals with a string of economic overs. The pitch seemed to get slower with every over, and CSK needed someone to play out of their skin to win it. And who better to do the job than MS Dhoni?
The skipper promoted himself to No. 4 and batted with controlled aggression. With 15 needed off the last over, SRH captain Cameroon White, despite having other bowlers with overs to spare, decided to hand the ball to Reddy.
It proved to be the wrong move as Dhoni smoked the required runs in the first four balls itself to seal the deal for CSK.
#4 IPL 2022, 46th Match, Pune
Pune witnessed what was a humdinger of an encounter between CSK and SRH in IPL 2022.
Chennai, on the back of a stupendous knock from their openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (99 off 57 balls) and Devon Conway (85 off 55 balls), posted a strong total of 202/2.
This was by no means a straightforward pitch for the batters to bat on. There was something in it for the fast bowlers, who were helped by the breeze flowing on the open ground.
SRH still got off to a blazing start, smacking 46 off the first four overs, but wickets on successive deliveries (Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi) right at the end of the powerplay hindered their momentum as captain Kane Williamson could not get going against the spinners.
With Aiden Markram's rare failure and the skipper's untimely dismissal, SRH needed 72 off the last five overs, with Nicholas Pooran and Shashank Singh throwing their bats at everything.
Pooran tried his best but could not get his team across the line as SRH fell short of the target by 13 runs.
#3 IPL 2020, 14th Match, Dubai
By the time SRH were reeling at 69/4 in 11 overs, CSK would have thought about a surge in net run rate and registering their first win in IPL 2020.
But two youngsters, Priyam Garg and Abhishek Sharma, started the counterattack and decided to put pressure back on the opposition.
Garg showed his class by scoring a 23-ball half-century as none of his shots looked forced. He took a particular liking to Sam Curran, plundering him for 22 runs in one over.
SRH finally ended up with more than they would have thought after their initial collapse and posted 164/5 on the board.
The SRH bowlers then reduced the CSK to 42/4 in the ninth over. MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja tried to revive the innings, but the asking rate was always going to be the deciding factor going forward.
Despite the duo finding boundaries at regular intervals, CSK needed 63 off the final 18 deliveries. It was always going to be one-sided on most occasions, and this time too, the bowling side emerged victorious by seven runs.
This was also the first time CSK lost three matches in a row since IPL 2014.
#2 IPL 2021, 44th Match, Sharjah
The slow, sluggish, and two-paced Sharjah pitch, which was assisting the spinners, witnessed a thriller that probably didn't reflect on the scorecard.
With both teams playing to their strengths and attacking with spinners, it was never going to be a high-scoring match on the provided surface.
Following some healthy contributions from Wriddhiman Saha, Abhishek Sharma, and Rashid Khan, SRH managed to post a competitive total of 139/7. On any pitch, it would have been a below-par total, but not on this difficult Sharjah surface.
In reply, CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf Du Plessis batted with controlled aggression and added 75 off the first 10 overs. As the ball got older, it proved difficult for the batters to score freely. The asking rate was never a problem, which prompted Chennai to bat cautiously.
With 15 needed off the last two overs, Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni targeted Bhuvneshwar Kumar and managed to score 13 off the penultimate over.
With just two needed off the last over, Dhoni finished the match in style by hitting a six.
# IPL 2018, Qualifier 1, Wankhede
In a high-pressure Qualifier 1 of IPL 2018, CSK, who were back in the IPL after being banned for two years, were chasing what was a below-par total of 139/7.
SRH bowlers Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, and Sidharth Kaul were right on the money from the start while defending the small total, reducing CSK to 57/5 and then to 92/7.
However, they weren't able to dismiss CSK opener Faf Du Plessis, who was watching his teammates return to the pavilion helplessly. He held up one end and forged important partnerships with lower-order batters Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur.
With 41 runs required off the last three overs, du Plessis and Thakur smoked 20 and 17 runs of the 18th and 19th overs, respectively, meaning they needed only six runs off the last over.
Du Plessis then smashed the first ball of the 20th over for a six to help CSK script a memorable win.