M S Dhoni's wife, Sakshi, who was present at the M Chidambaram Stadium during the IPL clash between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, had a surprising request for her husband's team on Sunday.
Taking to Instagram, Sakshi said "Please finish the game fast today @chennaiipl baby is on the way...contractions have begun. Request from - to be 'Bua' [aunt]!"
CSK ended up obliging, dispatching SRH for 134 runs within 18.5 overs.
Chennai, which had suffered back-to-back losses, bounced back to beat Hyderabad by an emphatic 78-run margin.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's 98 was complemented by a clinical bowling display, led by pacer Tushar Deshpande. Gaikwad's 54-ball 98 helped CSK put up an impressive 212 for three, and then Deshpande's 4/27 in three overs clinched the deal as SRH started out with an ultra-cautious batting approach.
Following the win, CSK moved to the third spot with 10 points, same as Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals. SRH, who are also on 10 points, slipped to fourth after their fourth loss of the season.
After the match, Gaikwad said "One area where we lost momentum in a few games was not getting wickets in the powerplay. It is the only way we can put the opposition on the back foot. Deshpande bowled really well. His hard work is paying off", adding, "Special mention to Jaddu as well. In these wet conditions, four overs 20-25 runs, for me that was a match-turning spell. I'm not very vocal. Everyone is very experienced in the dressing room and you can't just go up to seniors and tell them what to do. So I just take a back seat."
SRH skipper Pat Cummins, after the match said, "T20 is always on the batting side, and it has gone to a whole new level this season. The way we set up, we had the best chance if we got some really aggressive batters, and that's the way to win the tournament."
(With PTI inputs)