Can Brevis and Conway's Fifties Lead CSK to Victory Against GT?

Ahmedabad, May 25 (NationPress) Outstanding performances from Dewald Brevis (57) and Devon Conway (52), along with explosive innings from emerging talents Ayush Mhatre (34) and Urvish Patel (37), propelled the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a formidable total of 230/5 in 20 overs against the Gujarat Titans during Match 67 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Despite a challenging season, the CSK batters finally hit their stride on a scorching day in Ahmedabad. The trio of Mhatre, Patel, and Brevis, all of whom joined as mid-season replacements, showcased their potential, brightening an otherwise gloomy campaign for CSK.

After a disciplined first over from Mohammed Siraj, Mhatre unleashed a torrent of runs against Arshad Khan, scoring 28 runs in a single over, featuring three sixes and two boundaries.

Conway marked his presence with style, hitting two more boundaries in the following over before Shubman Gill called upon his top bowler, Prasidh Krishna. Krishna responded by claiming Mhatre's wicket, who mis-timed a shot to Siraj at mid-off, concluding his explosive 17-ball innings.

It appeared CSK's young batting force was encouraged to play aggressively from the start, while Conway methodically built his innings at the other end.

Patel had a strong start, hitting a six off Siraj, while Conway continued his assault on Prasidh, leading CSK to equal their highest power-play score of the season at 68/1 after six overs.

With pacers conceding runs, Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan were brought in to curb the flow of runs. Kishore eventually dismissed Patel, who had previously been dropped off Rashid's bowling. After a six on the first ball of the 10th over, Patel's effort ended when he sliced a ball to Gill at extra cover.

Shivam Dube (17) quickly got into the action, hitting Kishore for a six straight down the ground.

As Conway approached his fifty, Shahrukh Khan claimed Dube's wicket, with Gerald Coetzee making an easy catch off a full-length ball directed at Dube's pads.

The Kiwi batsman reached his 11th tournament fifty with a six off Rashid, achieving the milestone in just 34 balls, adorned with six boundaries and two sixes, before being bowled on the next delivery.

Brevis has been the catalyst for rejuvenating CSK's batting lineup, continuing his aggressive approach. While Ravindra Jadeja (21) rotated the strike with occasional boundaries, Brevis maintained his inventive batting style, pushing CSK toward a massive total.

A six off Rashid, followed by a six and a four off Coetzee, and a reverse sweep boundary off Arshad, propelled CSK past the 200-run mark with two overs remaining.

Brevis then ramped up his scoring, mercilessly hitting Siraj for consecutive sixes before finding a boundary at backward point, marking his second half-century of the season in just 19 deliveries.

Prasidh Krishna maintained his economical bowling in the final over, conceding only nine runs apart from one six, but a short ball on the last delivery allowed Brevis to edge it to Jos Buttler, who made no mistake with the catch.

The Gujarat Titans now face a daunting target of 231 in the second innings. A victory for the hosts would secure their position at the top of the points table, while a loss would leave their fate hanging in the balance, dependent on other teams vying for a place in Qualifier 1.

Brief scores:

Chennai Super Kings 230/5 in 20 overs (Dewald Brevis 57, Devon Conway 52, Urvish Patel 37; Prasidh Krishna 2-22, Rashid Khan 1-42) vs Gujarat Titans