Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins was surprised by the thunderous ovation MS Dhoni received from the Hyderabad crowd during Chennai Super Kings' match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.
The 42-year-old Dhoni entered the match in the 19th over but managed only one run off two balls. Despite his limited contribution, the packed Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium erupted in cheers.Watch Video
"The crowd was crazy tonight. When MS Dhoni walked out, it was as loud as I've ever heard,” SRH skipper Pat Cummins said at the post-match presentation.
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Cummins had a night to remember on multiple fronts. He dismissed Shivam Dube to reach the 50-wicket mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL). More importantly, SRH secured a comfortable six-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare, chasing down Chennai's target of 166. Dube had scored a well-paced 45 before Cummins' off-cutter did the trick.
"The pitch slowed down a bit as the innings progressed," Cummins explained. "Shivam was playing well against our spinners, so we decided to take a chance with the off-cutters. Getting the two points was the priority."
Cummins praised openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head for providing Hyderabad with a flying start. Sharma, named Player of the Match, blasted 37 runs off just 12 balls before Deepak Chahar dismissed him. Head, equally destructive, contributed 31 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries and a six.
"Wouldn't want to bowl to Abhishek and Travis at the top of the order," Cummins admitted.
SRH will face Punjab Kings next on April 9 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh.