The Delhi Capitals finally broke their losing streak in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, securing their first win with a thrilling 20-run victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
The fans at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam were treated to an exciting display of cricket prowess by the Delhi Capitals.
Choosing to bat first on a pitch that favored batters, DC openers Prithvi Shaw and David Warner started cautiously against the CSK bowlers. However, they unleashed their power in the latter half of the powerplay, particularly targeting Deepak Chahar.
Warner’s stunning scoop shot for a six was a highlight of the DC innings. Mustafizur Rahman was also taken for runs as Shaw powered three crisp boundaries in an over. DC ended the powerplay on a high at 62 for no loss.
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The momentum continued after the powerplay, with Shaw sending Jadeja’s delivery soaring for a six. However, CSK’s young talent Matheesha Pathirana made a stunning impact. His acrobatic catch to dismiss Warner and a well-placed yorker to shatter Mitchell Marsh’s stumps brought CSK back into the game.
Rishabh Pant, along with Tristan Stubbs, began rebuilding the innings. While the run rate slowed initially, Pant unleashed his aggressive style in the final overs. He punished both Mustafizur and Pathirana, reaching his first half-century since his return to professional cricket. Pant’s late surge lifted DC to a formidable total of 191.
CSK’s response began poorly, with Khaleel Ahmed striking early to remove Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra. Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell attempted a recovery, but Mitchell fell to Axar Patel. Rahane kept the chase alive, but Mukesh Kumar’s double blow, followed by Shivam Dube’s dismissal, tightened the screws on CSK.
The arrival of MS Dhoni ignited the crowd, but Mukesh Kumar bowled a superb penultimate over, effectively ending CSK’s hopes. Dhoni’s late heroics (37 not out off 16 balls) entertained the fans but couldn’t bridge the gap as CSK fell short by 20 runs.