IPL 2018: Will Playoff Expert Suresh Raina Deliver Again for the Chennai Super Kings?

Published - 22 May 2018, 05:53 PM | Updated - 22 Aug 2024, 11:51 PM

BCCI

Table of Contents

As the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs get underway today, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Suresh Raina will perhaps attract more interest than others given his pedigree in knockout matches in the IPL.

An intriguing battle is on the cards when table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clash with the second-placed (CSK) in the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) first Qualifier at the historic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday (May 22) evening.

The southpaw has been a messiah when it comes to IPL playoffs. He is the leading run-scorer of the tournament and has impressive records when it comes to this league.

SHORTS

Your daily dose of cricket!

With 427 from 13 innings in IPL play-offs, including five half-centuries, this is a man who raises his game in knockouts, and over the weekend Raina indicated what could come when he fashioned Chennai’s latest win an unbeaten 61 runs.

On that note, let us take a look at Raina’s top-performances in the IPL playoffs:

2008: 55* off 34 balls vs Kings XI Punjab (2nd SF)

After restricting Punjab to a modest total of 112 runs in the second semi-final of the first IPL, CSK cruised to victory, thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from opener Michael Hussey (51) and Raina, who came at one drop.

Although S Vidyut had lost his wicket for six in the third over, it was a cakewalk for Chennai after that.

Meanwhile, Raina, with four boundaries and sixes each, scored an unbeaten 55 and hit the winning boundary to seal a summit clash with eventual winners Rajasthan Royals.

2011: 73* off 50 balls vs RCB (Qualifier 1)

In the Qualifier 1, Virat Kohli‘s 70 off 44 balls steered RCB to 175/4 at the Wankhede Stadium. However, early in their chase, CSK lost openers, Hussey and Murali Vijay cheaply.

Raina fashioned three critical stands with Subramaniam Badrinath, MS Dhoni and Albie Morkel to keep them on the course and was the fulcrum of CSK’s chase with an unbeaten 73, studded with four fours and six sixes.

Moreover, he made amends for missing out on the qualifiers in the previous two seasons.

2013: 82* off 42 balls vs Mumbai Indians (Qualifier 1)

Raina stormed back with a blazing unbeaten 82 off 42 deliveries in the first Qualifier of the sixth edition of the IPL at the Feroz Shah Kotla after missing out on the last two editions following the same pattern.

Batting first, CSK made a strong start, banking on Hussey and Raina like the first season. The duo combined to plunder 168 runs between them as CSK posted 192 for one.

Though Hussey top-scored with 86, it was Raina who outperformed the Australian batsman with five fours and five sixes. However, the total was enough for CSK to book a fifth IPL final spot in six attempts.

2014: 54* off 33 balls vs MI (Eliminator)

Raina marked his return to the Indian team in style after unbeaten 54 off 33 balls, a match-winning inning. Meanwhile, the knock came in a situation where CSK lost two wickets in one over and a third not long after.

The southpaw took the responsibility on his shoulders and played according to the merit of the ball.

The winning runs also came from his bat, courtesy of a whipped four, and he was a shoo-in for Man of the Match, which was his fourth in IPL play-offs overall. During his blistering innings, Raina crossed 400 runs for the season seventh time in a row.

2014: 87 off 25 balls vs KXIP (Qualifier 2)

2014-2 — The night belonged to Virender Sehwag who smacked a breathtaking hundred, helping KXIP to a mammoth 226 runs.

However, Raina had some other plans to his mind. After getting Faf du Plessis for a first-ball duck, KXIP were at the receiving end of a brutal Raina assault.

Twelve fours and six sixes during his 25-ball 87 threatened to pull off the highest-ever successful run chase in IPL history. Moreover, he struck 33 runs off Parvinder Awana in the final Powerplay over. That over cost KXIP two sixes and five fours.

But a run-out off the first ball of the seventh over resulted in an unfortunate dismissal and skipper Dhoni could not prevent KXIP from defending the target, as they managed 202/7 in 20 overs.

Also Read: Watch: Harmanpreet Kaur takes a stunner to dismiss Smriti Mandhana

Tagged:

Indian Premier League Indian Premier League (IPL) Suresh Raina