Shaw shines as Delhi inflict 44-run defeat on Chennai

Dubai

All-round team performance by Delhi Capitals guided them to 44 runs victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here at the Dubai International Stadium yesterday. Chasing a moderate target of 176, CSK openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay played cautiously and had a 23-run partnership.

All-rounder Axar Patel provided the first breakthrough as he bagged Watson (14) in the fifth over. Faf du Plessis joined Vijay in the middle but the latter failed to convert the start and was dismissed by pacer Anrich Nortje in the last over of the powerplay. Vijay scored 10 runs off 15 balls. Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) came in to bat at number four but failed to impress with the bat.

He was sent back to the pavilion after getting run out in the 10th over. Kedhar Jadhav and Faf built the innings and stitched a 54- run partnership for the fifth wicket. Jadhav scored 26 runs off 21 balls before he was caught in front of the wickets by Nortje in the 16th over. CSK skipper Dhoni joined Faf in the middle and had a brief 15-run partnership.

CSK required 65 runs in the last three overs to win the game. In the 18th over Shimron Hetmyer dropped Faf on 41 but on the next ball, he was caught behind the stumps by Rishabh Pant. Kagiso Rabada scalped the crucial wicket for Delhi Capitals. Faf scored 43 runs off 35 balls. Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni then had a 17-run stand and the duo failed to put their side over the line.

Rabada got rid of Dhoni in the last over. Dhoni scored 15 runs. Jadeja scored 12 before he was picked by Nortje on the last ball of the match. Sam Curran remained unbeaten on 1 run. For Capitals, Rabada bagged three wickets while Nortje scalped two wickets. Earlier, Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant played knocks of 64 and 37* respectively as Delhi Capitals posted a total of 175/3.

Put in to bat first, Delhi Capitals got off to a good start as openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan put on 94 runs for the first wicket. The partnership between both batsmen saw Shaw bringing up his half-century as well. CSK finally got the breakthrough in the 11th over as Dhawan (35) was adjudged leg-before wicket while trying to play a reverse sweep off the