Kishan led the chase with a steady 70 off 47 balls as SRH pursued 181 runs. He guided the innings through challenging middle overs and set the stage for victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt was just about being there, believing in yourself,\u201d Kishan said after the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSometimes the situation is difficult, but we all know how these games are won. You need to believe in yourself. You cannot doubt yourself at any point.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After 20 overs behind the stumps, Kishan already sensed that the surface would challenge the batters. CSK\u2019s total of 180 came on a tricky pitch where slower deliveries took grip and held up. SRH's pace attack bowled 39 slower balls across 17 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen I was wicketkeeping, I felt this wicket is not easy,\u201d Kishan said during the post-match presentation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI still thought chasing this total would be tough because the wicket was difficult, especially when the spinners bowled and those slow balls worked well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the tough conditions, Kishan kept SRH in control. He started strong with three boundaries off Spencer Johnson early in the chase. Later, he adjusted his approach as wickets slowed SRH\u2019s progress.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The left-hander formed a crucial partnership with Heinrich Klaasen after SRH fell to 56 for 2 in the eighth over, with the required run rate climbing over ten runs per over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAs a No. 3 batter, my job is to finish the game,\u201d Kishan explained. \u201cBatters coming in late find it hard to take singles and score boundaries, so I had to stay till the last over.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He eventually got out for 70 when SRH needed only six runs from nine balls, having almost single-handedly brought his team close to victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Klaasen quickly realized that cautious batting wouldn\u2019t work on the sluggish pitch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYeah, the first couple of balls I blocked, then I thought, \u2018no, I can\u2019t play cricket like this,\u2019\u201d Klaasen said. \u201cI need to be aggressive on this wicket, and it worked out well for me tonight. I\u2019m happy with how I\u2019m hitting the ball. I hope it continues for the rest of the competition.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The South African focused on CSK spinners Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad to keep the chase from stalling in the middle overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYeah, the first couple of balls I blocked, then I thought, \u2018no, I can\u2019t play cricket like this,\u2019\u201d Klaasen said. \u201cI need to be aggressive on this wicket, and it worked out well for me tonight. I\u2019m happy with how I\u2019m hitting the ball. I hope it continues for the rest of the competition.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of the better Chennai wickets I\u2019ve played on, but yeah, it\u2019s not an easy place to play cricket.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n