Warner, Dhawan sparkle as SRH pummel Chennai

David Warner’s swashbuckling 90 off just 45 balls helped Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets at the JSCA International Stadium Complex here Thursday, giving them a mathematical chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

The crucial win meant Sunrisers leapfrogged Mumbai Indians into fifth place on 12 points, two points behind Rajasthan Royals in fourth. If Rajasthan lose their final two matches and Sunrisers win their last game, then the latter still have a chance of going through to the playoffs.

Chennai are in second place with 16 points but have lost three matches on the trot, a cause of concern for captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who, going into the mid-innings break, must have thought he had the game in the bag.

An unbeaten 108-run stand between David Hussey (50 not out) and Dhoni (57 not out) helped Super Kings score 185 for three. In reply, Warner’s blitzkrieg, that included 12 fours and three sixes, helped Sunrisers score 189 for four in 19.4 overs.

Warner and Shikhar Dhawan (64 not out) combined brilliantly upfront, stringing together a 116-run opening partnership off just 68 balls. After the Australian’s departure, Dhawan, who has been short of form, guided the Sunrisers across the line with two balls to spare.

Quick wickets of Naman Ojha (19), Aaron Finch (7) and captain Darren Sammy (0) towards the end gave Chennai an inkling of hope but Dhawan quashed any dreams of a Sunrisers collapse.

Earlier, Dwayne Smith (47 off 28 balls) got Chennai off to another rollicking start. Though, Faf du Plessis (19) and Suresh Raina (4) failed to do any real damage. Hussey and Dhoni then produced an incredible onslaught in the final five overs, scoring 68 runs.

Hussey smashed five fours and two sixes while the Indian captain cleared the boundary four times and hit two fours.

Dhoni was especially severe on South Africa’s premier pacer Dale Steyn, plundering him for 24 runs off the final over.

Leggie Karn Sharma was the pick of the Hyderabad bowlers picking two wickets for just 19 runs.