07:45 pm: Finally time for presentation ceremony...
Here’s what MS Dhoni had to say:
‘Watson and Rayudu batted really well, gave us a great start. Otherwise 180 against SRH was going to be tough for him. I have always rated Rayudu as someone who’s great against both spin and pace. My plan was always to let Rayudu open, Jadhav was meant to be our No. 4. [His batting position] is based on the number of overs left in the innings. Unfortunately we played only game in Chennai, but Pune has been great. They were great when I played for Pune last well.’
Player of the match is Ambati Rayudu of course: “No secret as such, our communication in the middle has been great. I am really happy to be back in the Indian side.”
07:40 pm: A word of praise for Ambati Rayudu, who was embraced warmly by the Sunrisers players at the end of that run-chase. He’s been a workhorse in the IPL and is having a dream season this time around.
07:35 pm: Mumbai, meanwhile, will be bating first in a do-or-die game vs Royals as we wait for the presentation ceremony in Pune.
END OF MATCH - CSK 180/2, win by 8 wickets and are through to the playoffs
AND MS DHONI FINISHES OFF... with a single through the leg side. The platform laid down by the openers, and one of them remains unbeaten with a century. Chennai Super Kings have completed their double over Sunrisers, the batsmen stepping up big time against the best bowling lineup twice. Impressive.
CENTURY FOR RAYUDU! Dhoni hits a four and takes Chennai to the brink, makes Rayudu a bit nervous perhaps but with 3 runs needed to win, Dhoni takes a single. Big cheers around the ground, and Rayudu gets to the century wih a single!
After 18 overs, CSK 172/2 - 8 needed from 12 balls
Sid Kaul will want to forget this day in a hurry. Dhoni and Rayudu take the singles off the first five balls, but a full toss off the final ball is deposited into the stands by the CSK skipper. Rayudu now two away from a century.
You can follow the live blog of Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals here, by the way.
After 17 overs, CSK 161/2
A quiet over after all the madness off the previous over with the boundaries and the dropped catch. Just 4 from it. Rayudu and Dhoni not taking chances against Rashid.
After 16 overs, CSK 157/2 - need 23 off 24 balls
Dhoni has had a fair few catches dropped when he is batting this year. Manish Pandey has put down a sitter at long on. Shakib can’t quite believe it. Dhoni’s break into a shy smile. Pandey’s a great fielder and that was a sitter. It’s been that kind of day for SRH.
Rayudu then finishes the over with a massive six... and moves into the 90s!
After 15 overs, CSK 143/2 - 37 runs from 30 balls
Raina tries to smash Sandeep Sharma out of the park but the ball goes to Williamson. Suddenly there is a hint of tension in this run-chase. Just six from that over.
So, back-to-back wickets for SRH. Surely their bowling lineup is not *THAT* good to win from here? Surely?
After 14 overs, CSK 137/1
Finally a breakthrough (a little too late perhaps). Watson’s run out after making an excellent 35-ball 57, and it looked like it was the only way SRH were getting a breakthrough. Rayudu continues on his merry way though, a six to his name off the first ball of that over.
After 13 overs, CSK 128/0
“Masters of defence? Haha, okay,” the Super Kings seem to say. Another over passes, no wickets, a boundary and a six. 14 off it.
After 12 overs, CSK 114/0
Surely a wicket for SRH? Well, no. A mishit by Rayudu carries all the way. He is beaten by the flight by Rashid, goes forward with a slog, but has timed it well enough to clear long off. Just 7 from that over as CSK allow us and themselves to pause for breath.
After 11 overs, CSK 106/0 - fifty for Rayudu!
Rayudu gets to yet another half-century in this IPL. Brings it up with a superb six over midwicket off Kaul, who’s leaking runs today. 16 from his over, 13 from his second. After that six to bring up his 50, Rayudu plays a lovely cover drive for four.
After 10 overs, CSK 93/0 - Fifty for Watson!
Shane Watson is making this run-chase look - *drum roll, please* - elementary. He is almost bowled by a Sandeep Sharma slower ball in that over but finishes it off with a cut past point for four and gets to a 31-ball 50.
After 9 overs, CSK 83/0 - need 97 runs off 66 balls
Timeout in Pune and Williamson’s men need to regroup. Rashid Khan continues the trend of Hyderabad bowlers bowling one bad short ball at least every over, Rayudu’s turn to pull and get himself a boundary.
After 8 overs, CSK 77/0:
Watson gets the customary boundary for the over, pulls powerfully wide of long on. 8 from Shakib’s over.
After 7 overs, CSK 69/0
Sid Kaul comes on and Rayudu takes the attack to one of the best bowlers in this year’s IPL! First two balls, the CSK batsman stays deep in the crease and converts good length balls into short of length, pulls one for four and one for six (just about clearing long on). Later in the over, a handsome off-drive goes past mid-off for four.
Great scoring rate being maintained early on by CSK but this is the period SRH’s batsmen pulled away, and this is the period SRH’s bowlers turn the screws on... not over yet.
After 6 overs, CSK 53/0 - good end to the powerplay for Chennai
Shakib comes on and by a combination of poor fielding and good footwork, concedes 10 runs. Watson the beneficiary of Kaul’s late dive at short fine leg, while Rayudu dances down to the pitch of the ball and drives down the ground. Chennai on course in their run-chase...
After 5 overs, CSK 43/0:
Rashid Khan comes on to bowl against one of the rare batting sides that took him to the cleaners this season. Attacking move by Williamson. Rayudu sweeps well past square leg for four, but just 7 runs from that over. Good battle, this should be.
After 4 overs, CSK 36/0:
Time for Rayudu to clear the boundary ropes as he reaches out to a wide-ish full ball from Bhuvi and carries on with the shot, gets a six over cover. Despite that six, just 8 from that over.
Kevin Pietersen has been wondering why the new white ball hasn’t swung for SRH. Here’s a reason why CSK are off to a flier....
After 3 overs, CSK 28/0
Oh, Shane Watson! When he hits them cleanly, no ground is big enough. Two sixes in one over off Sandeep Sharma - a full ball on the pads (knuckle ball), swept over fine leg, a length ball pulled over picked up over midwicket again. The ball sails into the crowd.
After 2 overs, CSK 15/0
Pull shot - the shot that Watson has played to great effect and been dismissed for a few times this IPL - brings CSK’s first six of the run-chase. Length ball from Bhuvi just outside off, deposited over midwicket. No real swing for Bhuvi in that over.
After 1 over, CSK 7/0
Hint of swing for Sandeep Sharma in the first over. But Shane Watson square cut him for a boundary when there was width on offer.
Bhuvi comes on...
06:02 pm: The ball moved significantly early on for CSK and with conditions still overcast, Sandeep Sharma and Bhuvi would look to make early inroads. Watson and Rayudu out in the middle...
05:50 pm: Innings break... up next, the best batting lineup (arguably) against the best bowling lineup of this IPL (no arguments there) - will CSK be the first team to chase successfully against SRH? The rain in the air could make this very interesting indeed.
END OF SRH INNINGS - 179/4 after 20 overs
8 runs from the 20th. One bad ball from Bravo, a half volley on Shakib’s pads hit over fine leg for four. But a few good yorkers and a couple of slower balls makes this a good finish from Bravo but Hyderabad should be happy with that effort overall as well.
After 19 overs SRH 171/4 - Pandey gone
Manish Pandey’s disappointing season continues but he only had one option - to attack from the first ball, that’s never easy. Falls for the knuckle ball from Thakur, Willey takes a high catch at long off. A really long over from Thakur, with three wides towards the second half as he kept looking for the wide yorker. A massive hit from Hooda for a straight six makes it a good over for SRH. 13 from it.
After 18 overs, SRH 158/3 - Hooda dismis... nope, saved by DRS
Wow, that looked out to the naked eye. Hooda was trapped at the crease by a Bravo yorker, he had moved across. Given out, but DRS shows it was missing the leg stump. Surprised, honestly. Nine runs from the over.
After 17 overs, SRH 149/3 - Williamson gone
One brings two for CSK! After dismissing Dhawan off his bowling, Bravo picks a spectacular catch off Thakur to get rid of Williamson. Kane slices, Bravo is wide at third man but runs to his left and takes a wonderful running catch. And does the dance!
Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson:
vs DD: 176* runs
vs CSK: 123 runs
Their 299-run partnership that started at the Kotla ends with both of them being dismissed off successive balls in Pune!
And it’s getting darker in Pune, you can see the rain clouds in the distance as well. Expect a downpour anytime now.
After 16 overs - SRH 141/2 - DHAWAN GONE
Bravo celebrates because this is indeed a big breakthrough. Dhawan was getting to a point where he was swinging at will. After scoring 176 run together in Delhi and 123 runs in Pune, the Dhawan-Williamson partnership is finally broken. A (Veryyyy) slow ball from Bravo, Dhawan tries to scoop but finds the short fine leg fielder.
And the clouds are surrounding the stadium....
After 15 overs - SRH 130/1:
Wow. This is ridiculously good from Dhawan and Williamson! Poor over from Willey though, too short or too full. Three boundaries off that over - two full balls bludgeoned down the ground, one short ball through third man. 100-plus partnership for Williamson - Dhawan for the second game in a row.
After 14 overs, SRH 116/1
The juggernaut rolls on... remember these two were not dismissed in Delhi and they are just carrying on in the same vein in Pune today. 16 from Bhajji’s over with a six each! First Kane, dancing down - didn’t look he’ll reach the ball - but lofts it straight, carries all the way. Then Dhawan with a brute-force hit over midwicket.
After 13 overs, SRH 100/1 - Fifty for DHAWAN!
Take a bow, Gabbar. A lovely innings after riding out a good early spell of swing bowling by CSK. Gets to the landmark with a slog sweep wide of long on for six (did that hit the ball boy on his head? we sure hope he is OK!)
49 runs in four overs since the timeout. Clearly the message was to get a move on.
After 12 overs, SRH 89/1:
Massive over! Watson goes for runs now and Williamson opens up. A four over point, followed by a six over fine leg. Surgical batting this. Dhawan meanwhile should have had a free hit for a full toss from Watson that seemed to be over the waist, turned out to be a dot ball instead.
After 11 overs, SRH 75/1:
The runs are starting to flow for Hyderabad! 24 runs after the timeout in two overs.
Bravo comes on first over after the timeout - that’s the earliest he has come on to bowl this year - and concedes 11, one boundary due to a poor ball on the pads and one due to poor fielding.
Jadeja from the other end concedes 14, as Dhawan gets into the groove. A punch through covers for four and a sweep over long on for six!
After 9 overs, SRH 51/1:
Timeout in Pune. Watson comes on and gets the ball to swing as well. Just two runs from the over. Time for the SRH camp to assess what a good score here is. (How dangerous are Bhuvi and Sandeep Sharma going to be in these conditions too?) Wickets in hand, Hyderabad can now look to push on. Mind you, 150 would be a good score here one thinks.
After 8 overs, SRH 49/1
Two 10-run overs on the trot as the SRH innings gains momentum. Despite a boundary for Dhawan and a couple of wides in that over, Chahar finishes his spell with figures of 1/16 in the 4 overs. What a wonderful return from injury.
After 7 overs, SRH 39/1
Harbhajan comes on and Dhawan plays a good-looking loft straight drive. Hit over the bowler’s head for a four. SRH will need him to attack with Williamson playing the anchor and they might target the spinners, given how good the two are against the turning ball.
After 6 overs, SRH 29/1 - end of powerplay
Another fantastic over from Chahar - he is still getting the ball to move away and that’s put doubts in the minds of the two in-form SRH batsmen. The commentators reckon the grass covering on the pitch has helped in getting this new ball to swing till the sixth over.
After 5 overs, SRH 24/1
Ah, classy Kane! Thakur tests the SRH captain with a bouncer (why, when the full ball is swinging, we are not sure) and the batsman responds with a textbook pull shot four four.
Meanwhile...
After 4 overs - Chahar strikes
A change of Chahar and it works like a treat. He gets the ball to shape away again, like he has done often in the powerplay, Hales goes chasing. The swing takes the ball to Hales’ outside edge and not the middle, and it carries to Billings at point. He follows that up with three great deliveries to Williamson - two away swingers sandwiched by an in-dipper that almost trapped the SRH captain in front. Great bowling this!
After 3 overs, SRH 16/0
David Willey, who was one of those bowlers that Dhoni wasn’t happy with after the last match, comes on to bowl. And Dhawan, after that LBW let-off, hits two superb boundaries to get going. One pick up shot over midwicket, one lovely cover drive.
After 2 overs, SRH 6/0 - reprieve for Dhawan!
The Dhoni Review System isn’t right all the time. There is an half-appeal for LBW against Dhawan from Thakur and Co but it wasn’t strong enough to merit a review. Seemed like there was a double noise but replays show Dhawan was gone if Dhoni had reviewed! The over started with a streaky four through fine leg for Dhawan after an inside edge. Good over from Shardul.
After 1 over, SRH 1/0:
Chahar, who was hitting good form in the IPL but had to miss a few matches due to a hamstring injury, starts off with a fantastic first over. There is a hint of swing for him, a good shape into Dhawan and away from Hales. The last ball swung back in a tad bit at a yorker length for Hales, but it’s kept out well.
04:00 pm: Out come the eleven in yellow and two men – Alex Hales and Shikhar Dhawan – in orange. Chahar has the new ball. Here we go...
03:50 pm: A hint of the challenge that lies ahead for Dhoni and CSK... remember, SRH have won SIX matches in a row.
03:40 pm: Battle of one team’s bowling and another team’s batting...
03:35 pm: One change for CSK, fit-again Deepak Chahar returns in place of Karn Sharma. One change for SRH as well, with Yusuf Pathan being rested.
Chennai XI: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Sam Billings, DJ Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, David Willey, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Shardul Thakur
Hyderabad XI: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Sreevats Goswami, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma
03:30 PM: MS Dhoni wins the toss, CSK will be bowling first.
03:28 pm: Jos Buttler showed style and grit in equal measure but sloppy CSK had themselves to blame. There are sights you don’t normally see on a cricket field, irrespective of how close a match turned out to be and an annoyed, visibly frustrated Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be on top of that list.
But that wasn’t the case on Friday night at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur as Rajasthan Royals pulled off a run-chase in Dhoni-esque style against Dhoni’s men to stay alive in the playoff race.
Read on CSK’s sloppiness here:
03:25 pm: There’s no doubting that these two teams have been the ones to beat this IPL, but Chennai are struggling a bit after their fantastic start. Dhoni has been quite critical of his bowlers for the most part but after the defeat against Rajasthan he looked visibly irked. Not often you see that. Can his bowlers step up today?
03:20 pm: CSK have 14 points from 11 matches and they just need one win from the three games in hand. Friday’s defeat to 2008 inaugural edition champions Rajasthan Royals, also returning to the fold after two years, has made Chennai wait in their quest for a play-offs spot.
03:15 pm: Hello all and welcome to the live blog of the match between the team to beat in this IPL versus the team that has made a comeback to the league in some style. It’s time for Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad. Needing a win from three games to book a play-offs berth, former champions CSK take on table toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in Pune.