STAT NUGGETS
Follow UsThe contest between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad saw a number of eye-catching stats. Here is a look at the statistical highlights from the 29th match of IPL 2020:
Faf du Plessis and his golden ducks
One of the most consistent batsmen of Chennai Super Kings, Faf du Plessis has a bizarre association with the most non-pleasing number for a batsman. Du Plessis got out to Sandeep Sharma off the first ball he faced, which was his third duck in IPL. The duck against Sunrisers Hyderabad came after 47 innings, his last duck prior to this was against Kings XI Punjab on May 30 2014, in Mumbai. Du Plessis has only three ducks in 72 IPL innings which is quite impressive. However, all of them have been a golden duck (first ball dismissal).
Most runs scored off an over in the Powerplay this season
In a rather surprising turn of events, Sam Curran, with the experience of just one game as an opener in T20 cricket before this game, stepped out alongside du Plessis to open. The move of sending Curran as a pinch-hitter worked out perfectly for Chennai Super Kings when he clubbed Khaleel Ahmed for 22 runs in the fourth over. The 22 runs scored by Curran were the most runs Chennai had scored in an over in IPL 2020. In addition to that, the 22-run over was also the costliest over by a bowler inside the Powerplay this season. Previously, the duo of Shane Watson and du Plessis had clubbed 19 runs off Chris Jordan in the sixth over.
Chennai Super Kings post their third highest total of this season
Chennai Super Kings’ batting this season hasn’t been of great stature. The score of 167 being their third highest says a lot about it. However, on a positive note, their main batsmen like Watson and Ambati Rayudu are coming back to their elements. Today as well, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 81-run partnership between Watson and Rayudu and cameos from MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja propelled them to a score of 167. Only twice in this season have they scored more than 167, their highest (200/6) being against Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah.
Rayudu-Watson come good together
After a brisk start by Curran during the Powerplay, Watson and Rayudu had the leverage of spending a bit of time at the crease before they opened up their shoulders. In fact, they did a great job of not losing a wicket during overs 7-15. The two acquired 72 runs in this phase that comprised of two fours and five maximums. In an effort at pushing the run-rate, Rayudu departed in the 16th over, ending an 81-run partnership, which was their third highest of the season. The unbeaten 181-run partnership of Watson and du Plessis against Kings XI Punjab is currently their highest this season.
A miserly last over
How often do we see a single run conceded off the 20th over, irrespective of the innings? Dwayne Bravo, a seasoned campaigner had to defend 22 runs off the last over to fetch Chennai Super Kings a victory tonight. With batsmen number nine and 10 at the crease, the guile of Bravo was too much to handle. A lot of swish and swirl went in vain as the batsmen could only see the ball carrying to Dhoni. The aftermath was just a solitary run and a wicket, which is the joint-least a Chennai bowler has conceded in a completed 20th over. The other instance was when Mohit Sharma conceded just one run and picked up a wicket against Kings XI Punjab in 2015, in Chennai.