IPL 2022: Blistering knocks from Gaikwad, Conway guide CSK to 13-run win over SRH

MS Dhoni's return to the helm proved to be a good omen for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday (May 1) night as the defending champions rode on brilliant knocks from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway and a 4-for from Mukesh Choudhary to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 13 runs.

Batting first, the Super Kings' opening pair finally stepped up to the party after a series of poor starts Ruturaj Gaikwad (99 off 57) and Devon Conway (85* off 55) hammered the Sunrisers' attack into pieces.

The duo added 182 runs in 17.5 overs in what was a display of audacious, authoritative and pristine strokeplay.

Gaikwad activated his IPL 2021 mode and went for leather hunting in the most beautiful manner possible. He was particularly disdainful against the tearaway sensation Umran Malik, hitting the right-arm pacer consistently in the front V.

Malik, who delivered the fastest ball of the season so far, was taken for plenty by the CSK opening duo, as the tearaway pacer finished with figures of 0/48 in four overs.

Umran wasn't the only one who got the stick by Gaikwad and Conway. Marco Jansen suffered a similar fate, especially against Conway, as the Proteas seamer went for 38 in four.

Gaikwad missed out on a well-deserved ton as he clashed an attempted cut off Natarajan (2/42) straight to Bhuvneshwar at backward point.

Bhuvneshwar was the pick of the bowlers amid the carnage as he conceded just 22 runs in 4 overs.

Nevertheless, CSK didn't get the flourish as they would have hoped in the end as they managed just 30 runs in the last three overs, with the experiment of Dhoni batting at number 3 - not coming to fruition.

However, it didn't matter in the end, as CSK eventually defended their total of 202/2 with ease.

Chasing 203, the Sunrisers got off to a good start as Abhishek Sharma, and Kane Williamson added 58 runs within the power play.

However, back-to-back dismissals of Sharma and Rahul Tripathi in the 6th over and Aiden Markram perishing for a 10-ball 17 meant that the Orange Army went from 0-58 in 5.4 overs to 3-88 in the 10th.

Nicholas Pooran kept SRH in the hunt with a sublime half-century, but with him losing Williamson (47 off 37) and Shashank Singh (15 off 14) at the wrong time, it proved to be a bridge too far to scale even for a batter of his quality.

For CSK, left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary was the pick of the bowlers. He did concede 46 runs but claimed crucial scalps of Abhishek, Tripathi, Shashank and Washington to seal the deal for his team.

Pooran did wield his willow in the end, but it proved inadequate as CSK romped home by 13 runs.

Brief Scores:

Chennai Super Kings - 202/2 (20)

Ruturaj Gaikwad 99 (57), Devon Conway 85* (55); 

T Natarajan 2/42 (4)

Sunrisers Hyderabad - 189/6 (20)

Nicholas Pooran 64* (33), Kane Williamson 47 (37)

Mukesh Choudhary 4/46 (4)

Chennai Super Kings won by 13 runs.