Picture Courtesy : BCCI
Retired Australian all- rounder Shane Watson, produced a magnificent display of power hitting to score a sensational unbeaten hundred. Watson struck an astonishing unbeaten 117 off 57 balls studded with 11 fours and 8 sixes.
Watson, incidentally took 11 balls to get off the mark. But once he got his eye in he was simply unstoppable and SRH bowlers had no answer to his awesome power hitting. It was Watson’s 2nd hundred of IPL 2018.
He had earlier hit one against Rajasthan Royals. It was also his second IPL title . He was the member of the Rajasthan Royals team lead by Shane Warne that won the first IPL in 2008.
Man of The Match Watson’s power helped Chennai lift its third IPL title beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in the final played at Wankhede, Mumbai .
CSK is now in par with Mumbai Indians, the only other side to win the IPL thrice. It was fitting return to the men in yellow back in IPL after two – year ban
Watson and Suresh Raina featured in a 117 run second wicket stand and gave the momentum to the chase which was easy at the end . Raina stroked 32 from 24 balls. CSK finished at 181 / 2 in 18. 3 overs.
CSK during the IPL auction was labelled a ageing side with – Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina , Harbhajan Singh , Mahendra Singh Dhoni but they proved their critics wrong.
Earlier CSK bowlers restricted the Sunrisers to a modest 178/6. Captain Kane Willamson’s fluent 47 off 36 balls and Yusuf Pathan’s late attack, 45 not out from 25 balls ere the main scorers . Carlos Brathwaite hit a quickfire 21 from 11 balls to provide the boost at the end. The total appeared good given’s SRH’s strong bowling unit, But Shane Watson blitz was simply too hot to handle.
