Fabulous Faf ensures amazing CSK victory

The crowds at Tuesday's IPL Qualifier 1 won't forget Faf's 67 in a hurry.

Two-time champions Chennai Super Kings marched into the Indian Premier League's final after Faf du Plessis smashed 67 not out to fashion a thrilling two-wicket victory against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 22, 2018.

Chasing 140 to reach the final for the seventh time, Chennai were gasping at 62/6.

Then du Plessis -- South Africa's Test captain -- mounted a spectacular counter-attack to see them home with 5 balls to spare at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

Faf, who opened the innings with Shane Watson, scored the winning runs with his fourth six, which must have pleased skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who sealed India's victory in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the same venue in similar fashion.

Hyderabad can still make Sunday's final, for which they will need to beat the winner of Wednesday's eliminator between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals.

Table-toppers Hyderabad had made it a habit of defending low totals in the group stage and once again their bowlers blew away the top half of Chennai's batting order quickly to give them an upper hand.

Siddharth Kaul (2/32) dismissed Suresh Raina (22) and Ambati Rayudu in successive deliveries to force Chennai onto the back foot in the 4th over.

Rashid Khan (2/11) deceived Dhoni (9) with a googly and dismissed Dwayne Bravo for 7 to peg back Chennai.

Watching the meltdown from the other end, du Plessis took the onus on himself to put Chennai's chase back on track and he received good support Shardul Thakur.

CSK's number 10 batsman scored 15 not out from 5 balls.

Wary of the dew factor later in the evening, Dhoni opted to field against 2016 champions Hyderabad.

Paceman Deepak Chahar gave Chennai the perfect start, dismissing Shikhar Dhawan for a first ball duck.

Hyderabad Captain Kane Williamson, the lone foreigner to lead an IPL team this season, hit four crisp boundaries in his 24, but the Sunrisers kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Yusuf Pathan contributed 24, but it was Carlos Brathwaite's 43 not out from 29 balls that helped Hyderabad post 139/7 which was not enough in the end.