IPL 2018: Qualifier 1, Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings– Expectation vs Reality

The much-awaited phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 is finally here! It’s the playoffs and it’s the top 2 teams of the league facing off against each other. The Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai is in for a ride as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lock horns on Tuesday (May 22).

The winner of Qualifier 1 will go straight through to the finals of IPL 2018 while the losing team will get one more shot in the third qualifier to redeem themselves. It’s bound to be a battle of the equals as both teams will compete to take one step closer to the winner’s trophy of this season. Before the real action transpires, let’s take a sneak peek at what we’re expecting from the game.

MS Dhoni to do a 2011 World Cup final for CSK

CSK has been riding the high of a collective performance from the team, both with the bat, the ball and in the field. MS Dhoni has unanimously been the biggest positive for the team in the middle-order as well as behind the stumps. Be it his lightning-quick stumpings, sharp catches, remarkable usage of the Decision Review System (DRS) or the plunder that he’s caused with the willow, MSD has been an asset for CSK.

CSK will be eyeing that finals spot in the first go and be hoping to script a perfect comeback story after the two-year-long hiatus from the IPL. Their skipper can be expected to shoulder the responsibilities of making those dreams come true for the team and its fans. With a strike rate of 157.04 and an average of 89.20 in 14 matches, MSD will look to bat his way to glory against SRH.

Sandeep Sharma to whip off the bails

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have had a remarkably balanced side throughout the tournament and their bowling has especially been top-notch. With the likes of Rashid Khan and Siddarth Kaul in the bowling department and skipper Kane Williamson augmenting their batting efforts, the team will expect a youngster like Sandeep Sharma to step up to the occasion.

Sharma has been generally impressive in the 2018 edition of the IPL. His figures of 4-0-17-2 against the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) was a dream spell that any bowler can hope to have and he’ll not only look to replicate that but better it further. Pitched against a batting-heavy side like CSK, the Hyderabad side will look for significant contributions with the ball from Sharma.

Here’s the reality right after the match..

Brathwaite propels SRH to 139

Sunrisers got off to the worse possible start as Shikhar Dhawan was castled off the very first ball of the match by Deepak Chahar. The wickets continued to tumble throughout courtesy of the brilliance of all the CSK bowlers and were reduced to 88/6 after 15 overs. But it was the blitz from Carlos Brathwaite which propelled them to a competitive total of 139 on a slow wicket. Shardul Thakur was in the firing line of the Caribbean batsman as he was smoked for 50 runs off his four overs.

Du Plessis heroics steers CSK

The bowling line-up of SRH is the best of the tournament and they proved it again. They began their defence of the low total with an exceptional first over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar who also picked the wicket of Shane Watson. The wickets kept on falling from one end but Faf du Plessis kept his cool before unleashing himself over Brathwaite in the 18th over to turn the game on its head. Shardul Thakur then hit a few streaky boundaries before middling one as the maximum from the South African won the game sensationally for CSK.

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