IPL 2018 Final, CSK v SRH: Who will win match between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad
After eight weeks of action, we are down to the final two in the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League.
Sunday will see Kane Williamson's Sunrisers Hyderabad square off against MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in a contest that will decide the winner of the eleventh edition of the event at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The former is yet to beat the latter in this year's edition, the latest defeat coming in the first Qualifier played at the same venue, but both teams will start afresh on Sunday with the Sunrisers looking to win their second title in three years and the Super Kings aiming to go on par with the Mumbai Indians, winning the competition the most numbers of times.
The third angle to this contest is the pitch. On Tuesday, it gave good carry to the pacers and also turned a bit for the spinners so it will be interesting to see what combinations the teams go in with. The general notion around these matches is 'win the toss and bat' and if conditions are similar to that on Tuesday, we could see teams do that.
If Sunrisers Hyderabad bat first: 140+
The batting of the Sunrisers Hyderabad has revolved around Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson. The former, in the absence of David Warner, has stood up and delivered with the bat while the latter has been the standout performer, amassing 688 runs in 16 matches to hold the Orange Cap.
However, if the Sunrisers are to win on Sunday, the rest, too, will need to play the supporting role. The likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Hooda etc will need to come good if they are to put up a competitive total on board.
If Chennai Super Kings bat first: 150+
To put it bluntly: If the Super Kings are to reach a good score, they need to start well at the top. For that to happen, Ambati Rayudu has to open. He has had a terrific season at the top of the order and he might be better equipped to tackle the early swing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar before racing along.
Suresh Raina came good for the side in the 2012 final and runs from his bat will be vital. In the middle order, the likes of Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo and the rest will also have to play the steadying role as well as provide the flourish at the death.
Match Prediction
The toughest part of this article. The Sunrisers, through this amazing campaign of theirs, have proved a lot of people wrong. When David Warner was barred from participating, most experts felt they would be half the side without him, but they have regrouped superbly to reach this far.
But on Sunday, they face a side in the final who know how to get here and play on the big stage. The Super Kings are a tough side to beat on most days, but in the final, you need that extra burst to go past them, which I don't think the Sunrisers have got. They have the firepower, but I am not sure if they have the edge to go past the Dhoni-led outfit.
It promises to be a terrific match-up between two sides, who have reached here on merit. Hopefully, they give the fans watching around the globe a night to remember.