Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings, 44th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: Indian Premier League 2021 Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah Date & Time: Sep 30, 06:00 PM LOCAL

Josh Hazlewood took 3/24 to restrict SRH to 134. © BCCI/IPL

Dhoni's six gives CSK a 'Q' next to their name

... And CSK sail into the Playoffs once again, proving 2020 was only an aberration. They took it deep like they do most times when Dhoni is around and eventually finished it off even if it got too close for comfort right at the end.

Meanwhile, SRH who made every Playoffs between 2016-2020, are the first team to be knocked out of IPL 2021. A season to forget for them.

24th time MS Dhoni has remained unbeaten in a successful run chase - joint most in IPL along side Ravindra Jadeja

219 25

First Impressions: No bounce on the wicket

Not much pace either. Wicket to wicket stuff will prove to be difficult to hit through the line. It'll only get progressively worse, so will have to maximise the PowerPlay. SRH have only 5 from the first two overs.

Toss: Bravo back; CSK bowl

Dhoni too believes this pitch may play slightly better and he calls right and opts to bowl. One change for the three-time champs: Dwayne Bravo comes in for Sam Curran. The West Indian was excellent in CSK's other match here, against RCB.

SRH are unchanged.

Pitch: Slight better, reckons Matthew Hayden

He's also spotted a return of the Sharjah sheen on that pitch. The heavy roller has been doing overtime apparently. Let's not get too carried away though. Average first innings score this season has been 136. Toss coming up!

Pre-match reading

While we wait for the toss, which is about 30 minutes away, why don't you get into the buzz of the game by catching up on Narbavie's preview. He reminds us of the H2H battle between MS Dhoni and Rashid Khan.

MS Dhoni has a strike rate less than 100 against Rashid Khan so the CSK skipper will have to find a way to rotate the strike frequently if those two face off

While you're snacking on IPL content... did you see what R. Ashwin had to say about the furore around the overthrow incident with Eoin Morgan. Can't miss that.

Prelude - SRH vs CSK

A proper David v Goliath battle if there ever was one this season. How things change in a year. This time last year, SRH were going for their fifth straight season in the playoffs while CSK were preparing for their first season out of it. Now CSK are back to where we're accustomed to seeing them while SRH have endured a miserable campaign. There remains, however, just a glimmer of hope for Kane Williamson's team; they can qualify for the playoffs by winning all three games and getting some favours along the way from those above them. MS Dhoni's side can seal their qualification with a win today.

Speaking of changes in the last year, how much has this Sharjah track changed since being re-laid. This time last year we would have been bracing for a 200-v-200 contest. 130 could be a good score today, one guesses. But let's see.

Are you ready?