Chennai Super Kings failed to chase down the target for the third time in a row this season, losing by seven runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL 2020 match in Dubai. Needing 165 to win, the M.S. Dhoni-led CSK were restricted to 157/5 in 20 overs as the Chennai side once again left it too late.
Ravindra Jadeja (50 off 35 balls) and Dhoni (47 off 36 balls) tried to make a match of it with a 72-run partnership, but early wickets and the inability of the duo to accelerate early enough resulted in another heartbreak for CSK.
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who bowled brilliantly in the powerplay, was injured after bowling just one ball in the all-important 19th over. With 43 runs still needed in 11 balls, Khaleel Ahmed completed the over, giving away 15 more runs.
With 28 needed in the last over, SRH skipper handed over the ball to 18-year-old leg-spinner Abdul Samad. Despite conceding four off a wide ball, the youngster managed to defend the total as a visibly exhausted Dhoni struggled to get the big shots away. Sam Curran, however, played a 15-run cameo to raise hopes of an unlikely CSK win.
For SRH, Rashid Khan shone with the ball yet again, as he conceded only 12 runs in his four overs, though he went wicketless.
Earlier, after electing to bat, SRH managed to post a competitive total of 164/5, thanks to a 77-run stand for the fifth wicket between youngsters Priyam Garg (51 not out) and Abhishek Sharma (31). SRH collected 53 runs in the last four overs to make it a contest.
Deepak Chahar was the pick of CSK bowlers, taking two wickets for 31 runs.
