CSK survive Williamson special to clinch top spot

HYDERABAD, India: Chennai Super Kings weathered a stunning 51-ball 84 from Kane Williamson as they registered their fourth win to climb on top of the points table (tied on points with Kings XI Punjab) by trouncing SRH by four runs.

Three individuals - Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina and Deepak Chahar. Put in, CSK got off to a sedate start with Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson struggling to come to terms with the conditions thrown at them. When the openers were dismissed, CSK had 32 runs on the board in the eighth over.

Rayudu hammered 79 off 37 before he was run out while Raina made an unbeaten 54. MS Dhoni struck 25 off 12 in the end to lift the side over 180. CSK had picked up 128 runs in the last ten overs to give themselves a major boost.

Williamson fell to Bravo in the 18th over, caught by Ravindra Jadeja as he ran in from long-on, to ensure CSK weren’t at the receiving end. Pathan threatened during his stay and scored 45 off 27 but was dismissed in the 19th over to end SRH’s chances.

Brief scores: CSK 182/3 in 20 overs (Ambati Rayudu 79, Suresh Raina 54*; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1-22) beat SRH 178/6 in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 84, Yusuf Pathan 45; Deepak Chahar 3-15) by 4 runs.