Daryl Mitchell wasn't just fielding for CSK, he was sculpting his own fielding masterpiece.
Five of SRH's nine dismissals were courtesy of his safe hands, and remarkably, most required minimal movement!
Perfectly positioned at various points on the boundary, Mitchell transformed himself into a human flytrap for SRH batters.
A look at the best catches of the match...
Daryl Mitchell
SRH's desperation for quick runs in pursuit of a daunting target translated into multiple opportunities for Mitchell.
His first came when Tushar Deshpande's slower ball deceived Travis Head, who miscued a lofted shot. Perfectly positioned at deep point, Mitchell effortlessly snagged the catch, dismissing the dangerous Head for 13.
Abhishek Sharma followed suit, slicing a short delivery from Deshpande straight to Mitchell at deep point, marking his second catch and tightening the noose around SRH's chase.
Heinrich Klaasen's woes ended in similar fashion. Matheesha Pathirana's delivery morphed into a low full toss, tempting Klaasen to go for a big shot. However, it found Mitchell waiting patiently at long on, adding another scalp to his tally and further boosting CSK's confidence.
Pat Cummins also succumbed to Mitchell's brilliance. Another Deshpande delivery, this time a big-hitting attempt by Cummins, resulted in a straightforward catch for Mitchell at long on, his fourth of the match.
The fielding display culminated with a fitting finale. Shahbaz Ahmed's ambitious pick-up shot fell short, landing comfortably in Mitchell's safe hands at square leg, securing his fifth catch of the match.
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali didn't get to bowl but emerged as a defensive dynamo for CSK, claiming two crucial catches to extinguish any remaining hope for SRH.
He showcased his athleticism first by backtracking from mid off to pouch a leading edge from Anmolpreet Singh. Deshpande's delivery had a hint of away swing, deceiving Anmolpreet and causing him to miscue. Moeen's alertness and quick reflexes resulted in a clean catch, dismissing the batter for a duck.
Moeen wasn't finished yet. Later in the innings, he displayed his anticipation skills by taking a sharp low catch at deep extra cover. Jayadev Unadkat's attempt to find the boundary off Mustafizur Rahman backfired, resulting in a powerful shot straight to the fielder. Moeen, perfectly positioned, calmly secured the catch, effectively sealing a convincing victory for CSK.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Reddy became SRH's unlikely hero with a stunning double act in the field, halting CSK's momentum in its tracks.
First, he swooped in at deep midwicket to pouch a miscued slog from Mitchell off Unadkat's misfired yorker. This crucial dismissal effectively broke the dangerous partnership of Mitchell and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Reddy wasn't finished yet. He showcased exceptional athleticism again, this time at long on. T Natarajan's slower ball deceived Gaikwad, who miscued his loft attempt. Reddy, with a well-timed leap and secure grab, ended Gaikwad's magnificent innings at 98, robbing him of a well-deserved century.
These two brilliant catches significantly impacted the match, silencing CSK's batters and boosting SRH's spirits.
Shahbaz Ahmed
Chepauk's roar turned to stunned silence as Shahbaz Ahmed snatched a sensational catch at wide long-on!
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's cunning slower ball outside off deceived Ajinkya Rahane, who skied a hopeful loft towards mid on. But Shahbaz, with a breathtaking leap and a secure grab, ensured the dismissal. A vital wicket for SRH, courtesy of Shahbaz's gravity-defying effort!
