Harshal Patel leads Sunrisers to five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings
Harshal Patel produced a match-winning spell as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Playing in Chennai, fast bowler Patel claimed 4-28, triggering a collapse that saw the hosts bowled out for 154 in 19.5 overs. He was well supported by captain Pat Cummins and Jaydev Unadkat, who both finished with 2-21.
South African debutant Dewald Brevis top-scored for Chennai with a powerful 42 off 25 balls, including four sixes and a boundary. Ayush Mhatre, just 17, impressed with a 19-ball 30, while Ravindra Jadeja and Deepak Hooda added 21 and 22 respectively. However, Chennai’s batting effort faltered after a poor start and the regular loss of wickets.
M.S. Dhoni, featuring in his 400th T20 appearance, could only manage six runs before falling in the 18th over to a subdued home crowd.
In reply, Sunrisers reached the target with eight balls to spare. Ishan Kishan anchored the chase with a fluent 44 from 34 deliveries. All-rounder Kamindu Mendis chipped in with an unbeaten 32 off 22 balls and shared a 49-run sixth-wicket partnership with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who finished 19 not out.
Patel was named player of the match and credited his success to consistency. “I figured out pretty early that hitting it on a good length around the stumps was important because it was hard to hit with the horizontal bat,” he said.
Dhoni admitted, “We kept losing wickets… 157 wasn’t a justifiable score.”
(Source: AFP)
