IPL 2018 Final: Shane Watson's stunning century and other talking points as Chennai thrash Hyderabad to lift third title

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  • Shane Watson slammed a brilliant century. Image - IPL/Twitter.

    Chennai Super Kings captured their third IPL crown in comprehensive fashion as they thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the final at Mumbai on Sunday.

    Chennai skipper MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl first. Sunrisers Hyderabad were able to score 178-6 in their 20 overs before a match-winning innings from Shane Watson saw the Super Kings achieve victory with nine balls to spare.

    Here, we look at the key talking points from Chennai’s comprehensive victory.

    WILLIAMSON FALLS SHORT OF FIFTY

    Throughout their campaign, Kane Williamson’s leadership and batting have been the forefront of everything good the Sunrisers have done this season. The Blackcaps skipper was at it again at the biggest stage after opener Shreevats Goswami was run-out cheaply.

    Williamson started watchfully and took his time before changing gears but when he did, he provided the Sunrisers innings with just the kind of momentum it needed. Breaking the shackles through a six and a boundary off Deepak Chahar, the Kiwi soon crossed the 700-run mark for the season. This made him only the fifth batsman to do so in a single IPL season after David Warner, Chris Gayle, Michael Hussey, Virat Kohli.

    Just when he was looking good for another half-century, Williamson was stumped by Dhoni off the bowling of Karn Sharma for a well-crafted 47 (36).

    PATHAN SHINES IN ANOTHER FINAL AGAINST CSK

    In 2008, Yusuf Pathan hit a match-winning half-century for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL final against Chennai Super Kings. Ten years later, the veteran batsman was at it again in another IPL final against the same opposition.

    With the platform perfectly set up for him by Williamson, Pathan feasted on Chennai’s death overs bowling. Making full use of his power and short boundaries at the Wankhede, Pathan struck two sixes and four boundaries to remain unbeaten on 45 runs off 25 balls.

    His innings, combined with some late blows by Carlos Brathwaite, provided the Sunrisers with the fireworks they needed in the death overs.

    BHUVNESHWAR STARTS WITH 10 DOTS

    Defending small totals has become Sunrisers’ speciality this season, thanks to an impressive bowling unit. That class was on show once again on Sunday as pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar started off the Chennai innings with 10 dot balls in a row.

    He beat Shane Watson all end ups with some prodigious movement in the first over with the Aussie finding it difficult to get bat to ball. After a brilliant maiden to start with, Bhuvneshwar returned in the third over to further frustrate the Chennai batsmen.

    He bowled four consecutive dot balls to Faf du Plessis to take his tally to 10 in a row. That run-drought was ultimately broken in the fifth ball of his second over when an overthrow allowed Chennai to collect five runs but the pressure he had created paid off when Du Plessis threw his wicket away to Sandeep Sharma in the next over.

    WATSON COMES ALIVE WITH TON AFTER SLOW START

    While Bhuvneshwar started his bowling spell with 10 straight dot balls, Watson did the same with the bat. However, the veteran utilised his experience as he did not allow himself to get frustrated after the slow start.

    Once he found his zone though, there was no stopping Watson as he made full use of his reach to muscle the ball to all parts of the ground. With the help of four sixes and three boundaries, the Australian brought up his half-century off only 34 balls, which means the 50 had technically come off just 24 deliveries.

    The Aussie smashed Sandeep for three sixes and a boundary in the 13th over which fetched 27 runs. He brought up his fourth IPL century and second of the season with a single off Rashid Khan.

    It was a superlative effort from the Aussie all-rounder who delivered when it mattered most to take Chennai to their third IPL crown.

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