Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have qualified for the playoffs once again after steamrolling the Delhi Capitals, who ended their IPL 2023 campaign with another defeat. The 141-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad laid the foundation for a 77-run win, while the Super Kings bowlers executed their plans equally well.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway shine again:
The Super Kings elected to bat first after winning the toss, on a pitch that Aaron Finch reckoned is a track to do precisely that. Gaikwad and Conway hardly gave anything to the DC bowlers and raised the team's fifty in the fifth over and the century in the 12th with a flamboyant six over long off.
It was also in the 12th over that Gaikwad took on Kuldeep Yadav, carting him for three sixes on the bounce, followed by a fourth against Anrich Nortje in the next. His partner, Conway, brought up his half-century in the following over against Khaleel Ahmed. Chetan Sakariya, Anrich Nortje, and Khaleel picked up one wicket each, but they conceded a humongous 223 on a slowish track.
Returning Deepak Chahar troubles the Capitals in the powerplay:
After taking the new ball, Chahar took some time but worked his magic after Tushar Deshpande sent Prithvi Shaw back into the pavilion, thanks to a stunning take by Ambati Rayudu at mid-off. Chahar returned in the fifth over and removed Phil Salt and Rilee Rossouw in successive deliveries, leaving David Warner to do the heavylifting.
The Capitals' skipper reached his fifty in the tenth over, but the required rate had already climbed to over 15. Following a 23-run over of Ravindra Jadeja, where Warner struck two out of three sixes, Axar Patel found his way back.
David Warner's highest score of IPL 2023 goes in vain:
Warner kept the runs coming even as he knew that the Capitals were going to end up on the losing side. The southpaw finally holed out to long on in the 19th over as Matheesha Pathirana and Ruturaj Gaikwad combined to bring Warner's 58-ball stay to a halt.
Maheesh Theekshana took two wickets in the final over, but Chetan Sakariya denied him a third after getting the DRS to reverse the decision. Nevertheless, it was only one camp, which had all the smiles
