NEW DELHI – Australian Shane Watson overcame a slow start on his way to anunbeaten 117 to guide the Chennai Super Kings to their third Indian PremierLeague title with a eight-wicket win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
Chasing 179 for victory at the Wankhede Stadium, the Mahendra SinghDhoni-led Chennai eased to the target with nine deliveries to spare tocomplete a fairytale comeback to the popular Twenty20 tournament.
Chennai, easily the most consistent team in the tournament with fourrunner-up trophies, returned to the 11th edition having served a two-yearban along with the Rajasthan Royals following a spot-fixing and illegalbetting scandal in 2013.
Former India captain Dhoni won the toss and opted to field first and hisbowlers never allowed the Hyderabad batsmen to score too freely.
Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson top-scored for his side with a 47 off 36balls while Yusuf Pathan scored a brisk unbeaten 45 off 25 deliveries totake Hyderabad to 178-6 in their 20 overs.
The total appeared big enough when Chennai started their chase with retiredAustralian international Watson unable to score off the first 10 balls hefaced.
Chennai were 20 for one after five overs and looking down the barrel whenthe burly opening batsman decided to open his arms.Powerfully-hit boundaries
The 36-year-old peppered all corners of the stadium overlooking the ArabianSea with powerfully-hit boundaries and ended up with 11 fours and eightsixes in his 57-ball knock.
Watson added 117 for the second wicket with Suresh Raina, who scored 32,and picked up a single off teenaged Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan tocomplete his hundred, his second of the season.
Rashid, 19, was the biggest threat to Chennai’s chase havingsingle-handedly dismantled the Kolkata Knight Riders in Friday’s playoffswith an all-round show. But Chennai kept him wicketless in his four overswhile scoring 25.
Chennai had finished behind table toppers Hyderabad in the group stage butdefeated them in the playoffs at the same venue on Tuesday. They picked uptheir third IPL trophy after a gap of seven years.