Shane Watson celebrates after scoring his second ton in the IPL 2018
Chennai Super Kings rode on Shane Watson's second Indian Premier League (IPL) century in the season to register an emphatic eight-wicket win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, clinching the coveted trophy for the third time. With this win, CSK have equaled Mumbai Indians' record of three IPL titles.
Reinstated into the IPL after a two-year ban for their team management's role in the 2013 spot-fixing scandal, CSK outplayed SRH by eight wickets with Watson's unbeaten 117 off 57 balls in a high-pressure game being the icing on the cake.
The Australian smashed as many as 11 fours and eight sixes en route to this second hundred of the season as CSK raced home in 18.3 overs. SRH had posted a challenging 178 for six courtesy Kane Willamson (47 off 36) and Yusuf Pathan (45* off 25).
"It's been a special season, to be honest. To get a special season especially after the last season with RCB. It means a lot to be with a franchise like CSK," Watson said at the post-match ceremony.
The 36-year-old veteran appeared struggling in first ten balls, adding to which, CSK lost their opener Faf du Plessis cheaply for 10 in the fourth over. "After those first ten balls, I was only hoping to catch up to at least a run-a-ball," he said.
Hailing the SRH spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Watson said: "Bhuvi is really good with the new ball and was lucky to get the opportunity to catch up. It was good that I got a couple of boundaries to hit and get on par to take it from there.
"The good thing is that I wouldn't be playing for the next three-four months; feels great. It gives me plenty of time to recover," the Australian cricketer added.
The MS Dhoni-captained side had entered a seventh IPL final and their stellar campaign ended with a record-equaling third title, tying them up with Mumbai Indians.
"Throughout the back end of the tournament I was hanging on for dear life, Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni have been looking after me really well and I am really glad to contribute like I did tonight.
