IPL 2018 Playoffs, CSK vs SRH: Hits and Misses 

#1 Hit: Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis was magnificent as he took the game deep and took CSK home.

The South African skipper hasn’t had the best of IPLs this year. He was constantly in and out of the side.

But with Sam Billings not consistent and looking out of form in the last few games, CSK went with the experience of Faf du Plessis in the all-important Qualifier.

There was criticism over his selection, as it would push the in-form Ambati Rayudu down to No. 4. But the South African skipper delivered when it mattered the most, as he took the ‘Men in Yellow’ home when everyone thought it was all over for CSK.

He once again walked out to open the batting but faced his first delivery in the third over. He didn’t get much of the strike, as he faced just 17 deliveries in the first 10 overs.

But even as wickets fell around him, he held one end up. He stayed till the end and then launched a brilliant attack when the pressure mounted. CSK were 97/7 at the end of 17 overs and they still needed 43 runs in the last 3 overs.

That’s when du Plessis took charge and shifted the game and momentum. He hit Carlos Brathwaite for three fours and a six and fetched 20 runs of that 18th over. He then did get some support from Shardul Thakur, who struck three boundaries in the 19th over to bring the equation down to just 6 off the last over.

Du Plessis then finished things off with a wonderful six straight down the ground to seal the game. He finished an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls and was the hero of the game as CSK got out of jail once again.