Dwayne Bravo said experience was a key factor behind the Chennai Super Kings victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final of the 2018 IPL in Mumbai on Sunday.
Bravo was treated harshly as the Sunriser’s racked up 178 for 6 from their 20 overs, conceding 46 runs while taking one wicket from during his four overs, but Shane Watson’s incredible unbeaten knock of 117 off just 57 balls propelled Chennai to an eight-wicket victory with nine balls to spare.
It was Chennai’s third title in the IPL and Bravo said the collective experience of the players in the team made all the difference.
“It’s been good, a special moment because the team hadn’t played together for two years. For most of the guys, this was the first time with the franchise. Then we had to move from Chennai. Lot of things were going wrong, but we kept focus,” he said.
“There’s nothing better than winning titles. That’s why I’m very happy for the team. We always said experience will get the better of youth. The amount of games all of us have put together are for moments like these. Shane Watson batted on one leg, struggling with a hamstring injury, but his experience got him through. He’s a world-class player and I’m very happy for the entire team.”
The Sunrisers’ score came largely to efforts from Kane Williamson who scored 47 from 36 balls during which he hit five fours and two sixes and Yusuf Pathan whose 45 came off just 25 balls and included four fours and two sixes.
Carlos Brathwaite’s cameo of 21 from 11 balls spurred the Sunrisers to what was believed to be a competitive total. He hit three sixes.
However, Watson blasted the bowling to all parts, hitting 11 fours and eight massive sixes to see Chennai comfortably home. The Australian veteran featured in a second-wicket partnership of 117 runs with Sunesh Raina (32) that came from just 57 balls to set up the massive victory.
Brathwaite took 1 for 27 off 2.3 overs conceding the winning runs in the penultimate over. (SportsMax)
