Historic Night in Chepauk: Sunrisers Hyderabad Finally Break the Chennai Fortress
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings has always been a one-sided affair at Chepauk — until now. In a stunning IPL 2025 showdown, SRH finally shattered the Chennai jinx with a powerful all-round performance, defeating CSK by 5 wickets and securing their first-ever win on this ground.
This memorable victory not only handed Sunrisers their first-ever win at Chepauk but also kept their faint playoff hopes flickering, even though their campaign has largely been a struggle this season.
Bowling Brilliance: Chennai Strangled for 154
Winning the toss, SRH elected to bowl first and immediately set the tone with a disciplined and aggressive performance. Chennai Super Kings, known for their fortress-like record at home, never really got going. Their innings crumbled to a modest 154 runs in 19.5 overs, thanks largely to the heroics of Harshal Patel, who was rightfully named the ‘Player of the Match‘. Harshal’s clever use of slower deliveries and cutters troubled Chennai’s batsmen, and he ended with impressive figures of 4/28.
Chennai’s innings started on a sour note when young Sheikh Rashid fell on the very first ball. Though Ayush Mathre showed some fight after a strong previous outing against Mumbai, wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Sam Curran and Mathre departed quickly, putting pressure back on the middle order.
Despite flashes of brilliance from Dewald Brevis (42 off 25 balls, 1 four, 4 sixes) and Shivam Dube, who tried to accelerate the scoring rate, Chennai never found the momentum they desperately needed. Brevis, in particular, gave CSK some hope when he launched into Kamindu Mendis in the 12th over, smashing three sixes in the space of six balls. However, his dismissal — caught spectacularly by Kamindu — turned the match heavily in SRH’s favor.
Even MS Dhoni, in his milestone 400th T20 match, couldn’t work his magic this time, contributing just 6 runs. Eventually, a late flourish by Deepak Hooda (22) helped CSK scrape past 150, but it was far from a par score at Chepauk.
Clinical Chase: Ishan, Kamindu Steer Sunrisers to Historic Win
Chasing 155 on a pitch that traditionally assists spinners was never going to be easy. And SRH’s start wasn’t ideal — losing the dangerous Abhishek Sharma for a duck. Travis Head and Ishan Kishan then set about rebuilding the innings, but Head (19) couldn’t capitalize and perished at a crucial stage.
The middle overs were tense, as Chennai’s bowlers, especially Noor Ahmad and Ravindra Jadeja, bowled tightly, drying up the boundaries and pushing SRH into a cautious phase. Heinrich Klaasen’s brief stay (7 runs) didn’t help either, leaving SRH wobbling slightly.
But the calm and composure of Ishan Kishan proved vital. Even when scoring was tough, he absorbed the pressure, kept rotating the strike, and pounced on the loose balls. His crucial 44-run knock (34 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) laid the foundation.
After Kishan’s departure, Kamindu Mendis (32* off 22 balls) and Nitish Kumar (19* off 13 balls) ensured there were no more hiccups. Showing great maturity, they rotated the strike smartly and picked up timely boundaries, guiding SRH home comfortably in 18.4 overs with five wickets in hand.
Chennai’s Woes Continue: Batting the Weak Link
This defeat exposed the same chinks that have haunted CSK all season: poor shot selection, lack of solid partnerships, and inability to pace their innings. The team heavily relied on brief individual brilliance rather than consistent batting partnerships.
Harshal Patel’s smart bowling dismantled their batting rhythm early, and even when someone like Brevis counterattacked, SRH quickly wrestled back control. The missed opportunity to build substantial partnerships, especially after Brevis and Dube’s dismissals, once again cost Chennai dearly.
A Night of Records: MS Dhoni’s 400th T20I
Though the match ended in defeat for CSK, it was still a historic night for one of India’s greatest cricketing icons. MS Dhoni became only the fourth Indian to play 400 T20 matches, joining an elite club that includes Rohit Sharma (456 matches), Dinesh Karthik (412), and Virat Kohli (408).
Globally, Dhoni stands among giants like Kieron Pollard (695 matches), Dwayne Bravo (582), and Shoaib Malik (557), who have featured in the most T20 matches.
However, his milestone match did not have a fairytale ending. Dhoni’s briefs stay at the crease ended with a tame dismissal, summing up Chennai’s overall lackluster night.
Moment of the Match: Kamindu’s Stunning Catch
One of the pivotal moments of the match was Kamindu Mendis’ jaw-dropping catch to dismiss Dewald Brevis. Harshal Patel, delivering a deceptive slower ball, induced a mistimed shot from Brevis. Kamindu ran in and took a brilliant low catch — arguably one of the best of the season — shifting the momentum completely in SRH’s favor.
Looking Ahead
While SRH celebrated a breakthrough win and revived slim hopes for a playoff spot, CSK is left to introspect as their batting woes continue to hurt their campaign.
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, this win — their first at Chepauk — will be remembered for a long time. It was a night when the underdogs turned up, punched above their weight, and finally conquered the ‘Fortress Chepauk’.
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