Contrary to Chennai Super Kings’ super slow start at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai in Match 50 of IPl 2019 on Wednesday against Delhi Capitals, managing just 27 in the first six overs, the visitors sped to 59/2 in their first six in chase of a steep target of 180, but lost two wickets in Prithvi Shaw for four to Deepak Chahar in the first over and Dhawan for 19 to Harbhajan Singh.
Dhawan made 19 off 13 balls, while skipper Shreyas Iyer was unbeaten on 35 off 17 balls.
Shaw had a bright start as he clobbered Chahar for a four in front of square off the second ball off the innings, but slashed one outside off two balls later at cover point to hand Suresh Raina his 100 catch in IPL. But Iyer was in top nick starting with a four in the first over and helped himself to three fours and a six.
Dhawan got going with a four and a six off Harbhajan, but the off spinner had the last laugh, castling the opener on an attempted sweep in the sixth over.
Yet, DC are far from a comfortable position after CSK overcame a slow start courtesy Raina (59) and Faf du Plessis’ (39) 83-run stand for the second wicket in 66 balls and a late blitz powered by MS Dhoni (44* off 22 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (25 off 10 balls), to post 179/4.
After CSK found themselves 27/1 in the first six overs, with Shane Watson recording an eight-ball duck, Raina and du Plessis kept the Delhi Capitals spinners at bay – three off them, Jagadeesha Suchith, Axar Patel and Amit Mishra. Raina notched up his 37th IPL fifty, his 50th in T20s with the help of eight fours and a six while du Plessis was a tad slow, taking 41 balls for his 39 runs.
But their association laid the platform for a late fourish and Jadeja provided that with a 10-ball cameo, before falling to Chris Morris. MS Dhoni, who said he was not 100 per cent fit during the toss, finished off the innings well. In the last five overs, CSK ransacked 77 runs as DC were guilty of being sloppy with the bowl and the field in the death overs. Trent Boult’s final over was taken for 21 runs with Dhoni smashing two sixes and a four.
