Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) rewrote T20 cricket record books on April 28 with a 212-run total against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). While SRH are posting 250-plus totals with ease, CSK broke the record for most 200-plus totals by a T20 team in the format’s history. This was CSK’s 35th 200-plus total which includes three such scores in now-defunct Champions League T20.
The previous record of 34 belonged to Somerset. They are followed by India's T20I team with 32 200-plus totals. The next franchise team on the list is Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The Bangalore-based franchise has 31 200-plus scores with their most recent one against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the run chase on April 28.
SRH skipper Pat Cummins won the toss in Chepauk and surprisingly opted to field first instead of backing his batters to post a daunting total. Ajinkya Rahane fell early to Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a single-digit score but the partnership between captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell helped CSK get off to a good start. Gaikwad reached his half-century from 27 balls with a six off Cummins in the ninth over.
Mitchell picked up pace and reached his half-century from 30 balls. Jaydev Unadkat ended Mitchell's stay at the crease. He scored 52 runs from 32 balls in the 107-run partnership for the second wicket. Gaikwad accelerated in the slog overs and Shivam Dube continued his sensational form as well. In the final over, Gaikwad missed a chance to score his second century of the season. He fell to T Natarajan. The opener scored 98 runs from 54 balls including 10 fours and three sixes. MS Dhoni hit a boundary first ball. Dube hit a six as CSK posted 212/3.
Gaikwad joins elite list
This was the third time Gaikwad was dismissed in 90s in the IPL. Before Gaikwad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Glenn Maxwell and Delhi Capitals' (DC) David Warner have been dismissed thrice in their IPL career as well. However, he is the first Indian to achieve the feat. The previous record for an Indian batter belonged to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul with two dismissals in 90s.
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