Mumbai, May 22: South African skipper Faf du Plessis pulled off a 'Houdini Act' to guide Chennai Super Kings to their seventh Indian Premier League (IPL) final with a two-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in what has been a fairytale comeback in the cash-rich league.
Chasing a modest target of 140, CSK were down in dumps at 92 for 7 before Du Plessis (67 off 42 balls) engineered a stunning comeback and fittingly finished the match with a straight six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
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With 43 needing off last three overs, Du Plessis, who opened the batting, launched into Carlos Brathwaite's 18th over smashing him for 20 runs which included two sixes and two fours. Having done precious little in the tournament so far, the stylish right-hander put his hand up when it mattered most.
Siddarth Kaul bowling the 19th overpaid for his inexperience in crunch game as 17 runs came off that over as no 10 Shardul Thakur (15 off 5 balls) got three boundaries including a streaky one. Then it was Du Plessis, who finished the match having hit five fours and four maximums.
Banned for two seasons on charges of corruption, the most successful franchise in the history of T20 cricket played like a team possessed with their skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni once again at the forefront with calm demeanour.
However, Sunrisers bowlers do deserve credit for making a match of a small total but this time their luck ran out in the end. Shane Watson (0) edged one off Bhuvneshwar Kumar while Kaul (2/32) castled Suresh Raina (22 off 13 balls) and in-form Ambati Rayudu (0) off successive deliveries.
MS Dhoni failed to read a googly from Rashid Khan while Dwayne Bravo was done in by extra bounce edging one to Shikhar Dhawan at slips. Du Plessis waged a lone battle as wickets fell in a heap at the other end with Sandeep Sharma getting rid of Ravindra Jadeja and Deepak Chahar.
Earlier, CSK bowlers utilised the lively conditions to the fullest restricting Sunrisers Hyderabad to a modest 139 for 7 after being put into bat.
Effective seam bowling in Powerplay overs swung the game towards two-time champions early on in the innings and they never let it slacken except towards the end when Carlos Brathwaite (43 off 29 balls) laid into Shardul Thakur.
Skipper Kane Willamson (24), Yusuf Pathan (24) and Brathwaite (43 in 29 balls) were the useful contributors for Sunrisers on a track that offered good bounce. CSK pegged back Sunrisers at 47 for 3 with both Williamson and opener Shikhar Dhawan (0) back in the dugout.
Here's how Twitterati reacted after CSK won the game:
What a game. A total roller coaster ride. @ChennaiIPL didn’t lose heart and @SunRisers played their hearts out!! Well done guys 👍 #SRHvCSK
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 22, 2018
7th IPL final for the Dhoni led @ChennaiIPL in 9 years. No player has ever led his side to so many finals. It's like a special magic that's being weaved year after year. Something that's not quite ordinary. Without doubt the 'BEST SIDE' in IPL ever. Period #SRHvCSK
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) May 22, 2018
What an innings from @faf1307 , on a surface where everyone struggled , an exceptional innings. @ChennaiIPL is truly a champion. Romba nalla victory #SRHvCSK
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 22, 2018
Individuals can win you matches, but only a team can win you championships, when one fails the other pulls up , @ChennaiIPL doing just that...and not the first time #IPL2018 #SRHvCSK
— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) May 22, 2018
MS Dhoni in #IPL finals for the 8th time - the most by any player!
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 22, 2018
2008 - CSK
2010 - CSK
2011 - CSK
2012 - CSK
2013 - CSK
2015 - CSK
2017 - RPS
2018 - CSK#SRHvCSK#IPL2018 #WhistlePodu
CSK's great escapes in last three overs:
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) May 22, 2018
47 off 2.5 vs MI, Wankhede
41 off 2.5 vs KKR, Chennai
44 off 2.4 vs RCBm Bengaluru
43 off 2.1 vs SRH, Wankhede#SRHvCSK #IPL2018
To all those who gave up in the middle! Learn, believe, whistle! #WhistlePodu #Yellove #Qualifier1 #SRHvCSK 🦁💛
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 22, 2018
9 seasons,
— Akash Jain (@akash207) May 22, 2018
9 Playoffs,
7 Finals ✌️
That's M.S. Dhoni & Chennai Super Kings for you. @ChennaiIPL
Either you're never forgotten or you're never forgiven. #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/rCwuXwIKVL
May the 27th be with us! #Finale #whistlepodu #yellove #SRHvCSK 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/HhCSMbx8DH
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 22, 2018
#SRHvCSK
— AmanAnil GUPTA 07🇮🇳 (@geniousaman555) May 22, 2018
The coolest person for reasons pic.twitter.com/HrEirgMAwV
👉#CSK Wins: Match Was Fixed
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadejaaaa) May 22, 2018
👉#CSK Loses: MS Dhoni Must Resign
Kahaan Se Aate Hain Ye Log? 😇💛😂 #CSKvSRH #SRHvCSK #SRHvsCSK #WhistlePodu
Faf Du Plessis or should the #CSK fans call him FAF YOU BEAUTY ! WOW! #CSK #SRH #IPL2018
— RK (@RK_sports) May 22, 2018
Congratualtions to #csk for entering another final n good thing being number 1 in the points table #srh will get another go. #IPL11 #CSKvsSRH
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 22, 2018
WOW!!!!!! Another unbelievable win... @faf1307 🔥 ! @ChennaiIPL @IPL Final time 🙌🏼 something seriously special about this franchise! 🦁 #whistlepodu
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) May 22, 2018
Incredible, unbelievable! CSK return from the dead thanks to brilliant knock from du Plessis. Stunning game full of twists & turns
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 22, 2018
Well played brother @faf1307 @IPL @StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/UOi2RvQhEw
— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) May 22, 2018
15 off 5 balls won’t change the averages much....and might be forgotten much sooner than Faf’s innings. But Thakur’s innings was as important.... #CSKvSRH #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 22, 2018
Faf was acquired using RTM by #CSK....was having a middling #IPL till this moment. Cometh the hour, Cometh Faf Du Plessis. What an innings under pressure....#CSKvSRH #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 22, 2018
With this one innings, du Plessis has repaid the faith CSK showed by retaining him.
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) May 22, 2018
@ChennaiIPL = you are unbelievable. Every time one stops believing and think that you are done, you just show your class. Shardul Thakur and Faf du Plessis - 27 run stand in just 8 balls! What a game, another final for the best team in the competition over the years.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) May 22, 2018