CSK beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in nail-bitting encounter
HYDERABAD: Dwayne Bravo consistently bowled in the block hole in a tense finish as Chennai Super Kings prevailed over a weakened Sunrisers Hyderabad by four runs to consolidate their position at the top of the order in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here today.
Invited to bat after the coin landed in favour of Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson, CSK were well served by Ambati Rayudu's smashing knock of 79 off only 37 balls and Suresh Raina's brisk 43-ball 54.
The visiting team then stopped the hosts at 178 for six, with medium pacer Deepak Chahar doing the bulk of damage.
Needing 33 runs in the last two overs, Yusuf Pathan and Rashid Khan blasted a six each off Shardul Thakur in the penultimate over.
Given the responsibility of bowling the final over with SRH requiring 19 runs, the composed Dwayne Bravo was hit for six and a four by Rashid to bring the equation to six off one.
Bravo managed to get it on the block hole and Rashid could only manage a single.
It is the first time in five seasons that SRH went into a game without the duo of Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner.
Earlier, the 25-year-old Chahar returned very impressive figures of three for 15 in four overs, his victims comprising Ricky Bhui, Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda.
For the home team, Wil- liamson top-scored with 84 off 51 balls, but the effort was not enough to give his team victory.
Williamson found an able ally in Yusuf (45 off 27 balls) as they raised hopes of an SRH victory with a brisk 79-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Requiring more than 12 runs in the last four overs, Yusuf blasted Bravo and Shardul Thakur for four sixes after Williamson picked spinner Karn Sharma for three maximums in the 15th over.
Batting first, the duo of Rayudu and Raina added 112 runs for the third wicket as SRH struggled for breakthroughs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium after sending back last-match centurion Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis.
While Rayudu hit four sixes and nine boundaries, the more experienced Raina found the fence five times and cleared it twice.
Dhoni then blazed his way to a 12-ball 25, hitting three boundaries and a six, as the two-time champions crossed 180.
CSK were off to a slow start as they could manage just 27 runs in the mandatory powerplay overs and reached 50 in the 10th over. However, they switched gears after that and were past the 100-run mark by end of 14th over, even as Rayudu brought up his half century in 27 balls.
The century partnership needed 51 balls as CSK looked at setting a challenging target.
Dhoni kept up the tempo and hit a few useful boundaries to help his team's cause.
The leading bowler in T20 Internationals, Rashid again went for runs, conceding 50 in his quota of four overs. MONACO: Rafael Nadal won a record 31st Masters title after beating Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2 in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday.
Nadal also became the first man in the Open era to win the same title 11 times and moved one ahead of rival Novak Djokovic for career Masters titles.
“Eleven titles here, it's unbelievable. It's something difficult to imagine,” said the 31-year-old Nadal, who won his first tournament here in 2005. “The history with this tournament is unique.”
It gave him a 76th title overall and ensured the Spaniard keeps his top ranking ahead of Roger Federer.
“To put another trophy in my museum, in my academy, is going to be something great,” Nadal said. “This is one of the most important ones in terms of (my) personal feeling.”
Nishikori was chasing a first Masters title, but the Japanese player took 11 minutes to hold for 1-1.
He got some brief hope, breaking Nadal with a superb passing shot at full stretch to lead 2-1, but meekly surrendered the next four games.
“I knew it was going to be tough even though I was up (a) break,” said Nishikori, who complained of tiredness. “My legs were very heavy today, playing three sets (for) three days in a row (before the final). It wasn't easy physically.”
The second set was a procession and Nadal won on his first match point with a stinging backhand winner.
Nadal's celebration was brief and low key. He thrust both hands into the air, and then jogged over to offer Nishikori a sympathetic hug after beating him for the 10th time in 12 meetings.
Nishikori saved a set point with a sharp, angled volley at the net. But Nadal was in relentless mood and sealed it on his next chance with a crisp forehand winner.
“It's not easy to describe when you are coming back from injury and you start the clay-court season in this way,” Nadal said.
Nishikori is still working his way back to form and full fitness, after missing the 2017 US Open and this year's Australian Open because of a torn tendon in right wrist.