Dubai: Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who came into Tuesday's IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on the back of two successive defeats, won by 20 runs for their third win of the 13th edition.
After scoring 167/6 in their 20 overs, CSK restricted SRH to 147/8 at the Dubai International Stadium.
CSK kept SRH in check throughout the run chase, but the latter looked like they had the upper hand during the third wicket stand between Jonny Bairstow (23) and Kane Williamson (57).
Ravindra Jadeja (1/21) broke the stand, after it had produced 32 runs, by taking Bairstow's middle stump after which Priyam Garg put up 40 with Williamson for the fourth.
Shardul Thakur (1/10) and Dwayne Bravo (2/25) put the breaks on the SRH innings in the last two overs. Rashid Khan (14) was dismissed via hit-wicket off Thakur off the last ball of the penultimate over after which Bravo conceded just one run in the last.
Earlier, Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu shared an 81-run stand as CSK made 167/6.
Watson's 42 off 38 balls was studded with one four and three maximums, while Rayudu hit three boundaries and two sixes in his 34-ball 41-run knock.
Jadeja (25 not out) and Dhoni (21 off 13 balls) played cameos smashing a total of five fours and two sixes between them in a stand of 32 in just 2.4 overs.
SRH bowlers did a commendable job, claiming four wickets for 47 runs in the last six overs. Sandeep Sharma (2/19), Khaleel Ahmed (2/45) and T Natarajan (2/41) picked up two wickets apiece.
Desperate to snap their two-match losing streak, CSK elected to bat. The three-time champions sent young England all-rounder Sam Curran instead of Watson to open the innings with Faf du Plessis.
Sharma drew first blood for the Sunrisers, removing du Plessis in the third over. The South African sneaked one to Bairstow off the very first ball he faced for a golden duck.
Curran was off to a bright start, smashing Khaleel for the first boundary of the match in the second over. He continued his onslaught on the pacer by hitting him two fours and as many sixes in the fourth over, quickly racing to 31 off 21-balls.
But Curran's time in the middle was brought to an end by Sharma, who went around the wicket to bowl a good length delivery angled into the leg stump. CSK ended the powerplay at 44/2.
Watson and Rayudu stitched a valuable partnership. The duo initially kept the score board ticking with occasional boundaries on a dry but weary surface but upped the ante in the 15th over, hitting Rashid for a six each.
Khaleel broke the stand by getting rid of Rayudu, who was caught at long-off by skipper David Warner. Watson soon followed with Natarajan dismissing the Australian.
