IPL 2018: Dhoni's men hold nerves to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad, go top of points tally

HYDERABAD: There’s something about Hyderabad which gets Deepak Chahar’s competitive juices flowing. Way back in 2010-11, he snared eight for 10 in 7.3 overs as Rajasthan bundled out Hyderabad for 21, the lowest total in Ranji Trophy.
POINTS TABLE
At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, Chahar was not as destructive, but his first spell of 4-1-15-3 was enough to prise open the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s top order as they tried to chase down Chennai Super Kings’ 182 for three, a score made possible by Hyderabad Ranji captain Ambati Rayudu’s fine blend of caution and aggression in scoring 79 (37b), and was the cornerstone of their four-run win.
ALSO READ: Floater Rayudu fits fine into CSK's flexi plans
When Rayudu walked in at the fall of Shane Watson’s wicket in the fourth over, Chennai were struggling to get a move on as Faf du Plessis, who replaced Imran Tahir in the only change the visitors made to the side that had walloped Rajasthan Royals in their last game, was stifled by Hyderabad bowlers who gave little away. It was only after Rashid Khan – striking first ball – put Du Plessis out of his misery that Rayudu and Suresh Raina breathed new life into the Chennai batting. The scoreboard, which read an anaemic 54 for two at the halfway stage, was put on gallop mode by the duo.
So dominant was Rayudu in the 112-run stand for the third wicket that in the second fifty of that century partnership, Raina’s contribution was a mere three runs.
Even after Rayudu’s run-out, going for a non-existent second off a misfield, it was pacing the innings at its best by Chennai as overs 14-20 yielded 95 runs and the last 10 as many as 128. Raina (53 no; 43b, 4x5, 6x2) and skipper MS Dhoni (25 no; 12b, 4x3, 6x1) toyed with the Hyderabad attack that unravelled as the sluice gates opened and it just worked for Chennai that Bhuvneshwar Kumar only bowled three overs.
Chasing their second highest total this season for the second straight match, the Sunrisers, handicapped by Shikhar Dhawan’s absence, needed an aggressive start, but with debutant Ricky Bhui nervously nibbling at Chahar in the first over, and Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda handing it on a platter, it was left to Sunrisers’ skipper Kane Williamson to plough a lonely furrow.
He hardly put a foot wrong in scoring 84 (51b, 4x5, 6x5), his third straight half-century which included an all-run four, till Dwayne Bravo’s change of pace did him in, but his two partnerships helped the Sunrisers make a tight fist of it.