Twitter Reactions: Chennai Super Kings assume ascendancy in Qualifier 1 at half way stage

The stage was all set for the first game of the playoffs of IPL 2018. The Sunrisers Hyderabad faced off against the Chennai Super Kings in the marquee clash in Mumbai. Coming into the game, both teams knew that they will have two cracks at the IPL finals. However, there was no room for complacency and both sides arrived at the venue with the determination of making it to the finals.

At the halfway stage, the table toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad would know that they have possibly messed up big time against the Chennai Super Kings in the game. The Sunrisers batsmen failed collectively in the first innings. With such a dismal batting show, they will now have to depend on their bowlers. Their bowlers have defended low totals in the season and are very much capable of doing it again. But they will be up against an in-form CSK batting lineup.

In the match, the Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni had no hesitation in opting to bowl first after winning the toss. He stuck to his winning mantra in the game. Much to his delight, Deepak Chahar struck on the very first ball of the match to send Shikhar Dhawan back for a golden duck. Kane Williamson joined Sreevats Goswami at the crease. A flurry of boundaries followed from both the stroke makers.

It was in the fourth over of the innings when Lungi Ngidi dismissed Goswami on 12. Three balls later, in the next over, Shardul Thakur accounted for the big wicket of Kane Williamson on 24 (15). The dismal batting form of Shakib Al Hasan and Manish Pandey continued in the season. While Shakib was dismissed on 12 by Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja sent Pandey packing on 8.

At 69/5 in 11.3 overs, the Sunrisers Hyderabad knew they had made a mockery of their innings. Yusuf Pathan and Carlos Brathwaite then tried to hold the fort for a brief while. Pathan tried his best to stay at the crease but his stay of 29 balls could only fetch 24 runs for his side. Towards the end, it was a brilliant cameo from Brathwaite that took the SRH total to a respectable 139/7 in the stipulated 20 overs. Brathwaite top-scored for his side with 43 off 29 balls studded with a four and four maximums.

Here is how the cricket world reacted to the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings:

Dwayne Bravo just took one of the catches of the season. #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/dxKkwtjnXG

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) May 22, 2018

Agar CSK wale Itni Achi Bowling Kar Rahe Hai To Socho #SRH Wale Kitni Achi Bowling Karenge….#SRHvCSK

— ßαßu ßhαïψα (@Shahrcasm) May 22, 2018

50 for Shardul. The bowler.

In a game where the batting team has struggled to get to 140.#IPL2018 #SRHvCSK

— Suneer (@suneerchowdhary) May 22, 2018

Thakur ko mid playoffs transfer kaise kare? #IPL

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) May 22, 2018

Harbhajan Singh will be awarded "Jadeja of the match" #CSKvSRH

— Cricket Bakchod (@Cric_bakchod) May 22, 2018

Think it would have made better sense for Rashid Khan to bat ahead of Bhuvneshwar, who at best is a consolidator #SRHvCSK #IPL2018

— Arun Venugopal (@scarletrun) May 22, 2018

Such a mature innings by Carlos he's not just a slogged he's a proper finisher he should be our finisher for next 5 years @SunRisers

— CSRHK (@tarun_0707) May 22, 2018

Shane Watson and Harbhajan Singh didn’t bowl a single over. Sympathies to fantasy players. #IPL

— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) May 22, 2018

140 is a fighting score I must say after seeing bowling of @SunRisers in this tournament and way pitch played today #SRHvCSK #IPL2018

— Deepak Sharma (@deepakbhlscr) May 22, 2018

I've said this earlier & I'll say this again. Shardul Thakur isn't cut for white ball cricket. Brilliant red ball bowler, but lacks the skill to succeed in white ball cricket.

Just my opinion – and it won't change whether Twitterverse agrees or not!#VIVOIPL #SRHvCSK

— Arun Gopalakrishnan (@statanalyst) May 22, 2018

Rest of the team- 89/6 in 16 overs.
Lord Shardul T – 50/1 in 4 overs.#CSKVSRH

— AJ (whistle podu) 📣 (@DarrKeAage) May 22, 2018

37 runs in last two overs of Thakur and we are up for a good game. #IPL

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) May 22, 2018

Australian women cricketers Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry are at the Wankhede! #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/qNdZj0Q3e0

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) May 22, 2018

#CSKvSRH Shradul Thakur need to learn a lot how to bowl in depth overs and to be clever

— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 22, 2018

The @SunRisers have defended several very low totals this season. Can they do it one more time? #SRHvCSK

— Hemant (@hemantbuch) May 22, 2018

MS Dhoni plays Harbhajan Singh just like I use him in my Dream XI side – only to complete 11 players. #IPL

— Shubh AggarWall (@shubh_chintak) May 22, 2018

Worst figures for CSK in IPL playoffs/knockouts:

51/2 – Ashish Nehra v KXIP, Mumbai, 2014
50/1 – Shardul Thakur v SRH, Mumbai, 2018*
49/1 – Dwayne Bravo v KKR, Chennai, 2012#SRHvCSK

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) May 22, 2018

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