Watch: How MS Dhoni-conqueror Sandeep Sharma's no-ball blunder saw Samad finish off SRH's record chase in style

The 21-year-old pulled off what Dhoni failed to do 3 weeks back as he mustered his strength to smash the final ball for a six to finish off the chase in style.

Three weeks back, Sandeep Sharma had found himself in a similar position, when up against the ever formidable MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the Chepauk. The target of 21 was indeed a tad bit bigger for CSK, but Dhoni had reduced it to 7 off 3 after smashing back-to-back sixes of low full toss deliveries. Sandeep however bounced back sensationally to deny any other boundary as he held his nerves to bowl a perfect yorker to the legendary Dhoni in the final ball when 5 was required off it. On Sunday night in Jaipur, Sandeep was up against a rather novice option in Abdul Samad, with Sunrisers Hyderabad requiring 17 off the final over. But the 21-year-old pulled off what Dhoni failed to do three weeks back as he mustered his strength to smash the final ball, a yorker, for a six to finish off the chase in style after SRH were handed a lifeline following a no-ball drama.

How Sandeep's no-ball blunder saw Samad finish off SRH's chase in style

Sandeep stuck to his strength of bowling the yorker length, which had worked successfully against Dhoni. But against the wider one in the first ball, Samad shuffled across to score two runs before smashing an exact same one for a six over long on. Samad and Marco Jansen then put four runs in the next three balls leaving SRH requiring five off the last ball.

Sandeep did not change his plan at all, although he did take the pace off it in the final ball and Samad mistimed the shot this time holing it out to the fielder at long off. RR broke into jubilant celebration as they strengthened their chance of making the playoffs for the second straight time. But the sound of the hooter cut short the celebrations. Umpire signalled for a no ball as RR teammates were left utterly confused while Sunrisers were handed a lifeline. Replay later showed that Sandeep's foot was just millimetres outside the crease.

As SRH required 4 off the last ball, Sandeep stuck to his wide-yorker plan and Samad did not err on this time. He sat deep in his crease, launched the slightly undercooked yorker high over the bowler's head for a stunning six.

Watch the video here…

With that SRH completed their highest ever successful chase in IPL history. It was also the highest ever against Rajasthan Royals and at the venue as well.

While Samad indeed deserved all the praise for his last-over heroics, SRH have a lot of credit to give to Glenn Phillips. Having replaced Harry Brook in the line-up, the New Zealand batter smashed three maximums and a boundary in his 7-ball 25 that had single-handedly reduced SRH's target to gettable distance in the penultimate over of the chase.