IPL 2018, Match 57, Qualifier 1, Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings: Match Prediction

After a month and a half of intense action, we have reached the business end of the Vivo IPL 11. In the qualifier 1, the two best sides in the tournament so far, Chennai Super Kings will lock horns against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. We will be in for an enthralling encounter between the two franchises. Both teams have played some terrific cricket in the group stages which has helped them finish at the top two position of the points. Hence even if they lose this match, they will still have a chance to qualify for the final.

Sunrisers Hyderabad looked well set to finish the group stage with a high. However, defeats in the last few matches hampered their record a bit. However, they still finished at the No 1 position in the points table. The form of top order batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Kane Williamson are the biggest positives for SRH going into the playoffs. They have batted quite superbly. Williamson, in particular, has looked a class apart and churned out runs with utmost comfort.

The middle order has been pretty inconsistent thus far. Manish Pandey has failed to strike form which has been one of the major reason behind SRH’s inability to score runs in the middle overs. When the top order has been dismissed, the middle order has failed to get them going which has affected them a few times.

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The bowling department has been quite brilliant for the majority of the group stages. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul and Sandeep Sharma have done the job for SRh on many occasions. However, the best bowler of SRH in the tournament has been Afghan leg-spinner, Rashid Khan. The leggie has been pretty consistent like the previous year and will look to continue his rich vein of form in the playoffs.

Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, returned to winning ways in their final group game against the Kings XI Punjab. The batting department has been the difference of Chennai in the tournament. Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu has been at their best at the top of the order and has provided sensational stars to CSK on most occasions. Rayudu, in particular, has looked a class apart and is in the contention for orange cap.

Suresh Raina has also come back to form as the tournament has progressed. The southpaw has played some stellar knocks in the tournament so far and will look to play a big knock today. Meanwhile the skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has had the best IPL in his career so far. He has looked in amazing touch and has scored more than 400 runs. In the process, he has also smashed 29 sixes which is among the highest in the tournament.

However, despite their success in batting, their bowling department has been a bit wayward at times Deepak Chahar has been quite superb with the new ball. He has swung the ball both ways and has troubled the likes of Williamson and Dhawan in the past. The spin duo of Harbhajan and Ravindra Jadeja has leaked runs on occasions. However given their experience, they will look to come out with an impressive performance in the all-important clash.

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Team Combinations

Sunrisers Hyderabad

They are unexpected to tinker with their combination especially after the fact that wicket-keeper batsman Shreevats Goswami clicked at the top of the order. Hence Alex Hales might have to miss out again. Hence Carlos Brathwaite might get another game.

Predicted XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Manish Pandey, Carlos Brathwaite/Alex Hales, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma

Chennai Super Kings

Shane Watson will make a return at the top of the order at the expense of Faf du Plessis. The combination of Rayudu and Watson would be a lethal one. They in all likelihood will also not employ the same batting order changes which happened in the previous game.

Predicted XI: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Sam Billings/Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi

Match Prediction

Both teams have played some impressive brand of cricket in the group stages. However, I have a gut feeling that Hyderabad will be slightly ahead of Chennai in this particular encounter. Hence my prediction is Hyderabad will win today.