Chennai Super Kings showed their dominance with a scintillating performance against struggling Delhi Capitals, consolidating their position among the top two teams in the IPL 2023 points table and securing a spot in the playoffs. While there is a slim chance for Lucknow Super Giants to match CSK’s points and surpass their net run rate, they will need to beat Kolkata Knight Riders by at least 97 runs or more to claim the second spot in the points table. Will have to beat by margin. The first and second placed teams in the points table will play each other in Qualifier 1, while the third and fourth placed teams will play in the Eliminator match.
The foundation for their victory was laid by Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, who stitched a stupendous partnership, while CSK bowlers performed brilliantly. Delhi Capitals’ chase got off to a disastrous start when Prithvi Shaw departed early in the second over. Deepak Chahar piled the pressure on the home side by dismissing Phil Salt and Riley Rossouw off consecutive deliveries during the powerplay.
Qualifier 1 – GT vs CSK at Chepauk
This will be the end of the “Rutu vs Gill” debate!_ pic.twitter.com/dVsBH3iXkh— __ (@thegoat_msd_) May 20, 2023
With a challenging target ahead of them and a poor start, Delhi Capitals never posed a threat to Chennai Super Kings. However, their experienced Australian skipper, David Warner fought a lone war, entertaining the home crowd with delightful shots and his trademark antics. Unfortunately, Warner missed out on a century, getting dismissed by Mathisha Pathirana in the final over after scoring a commendable 86 off 58 balls.
Opting to bat first in their quest to break into the top two, Chennai Super Kings got off to a brisk start after skipper MS Dhoni won the toss. Gaikwad and Conway took advantage of the weak bowling during the powerplay and attacked the Delhi bowlers mercilessly.
CSK’s opening pair showed no mercy, with Gaikwad sharing a massive 141-run partnership. Gaikwad’s blistering 79 came to an end but Conway continued to apply pressure from the other end. He got valuable support from Shivam Dube, who kept his six-hitting spree going through the tournament with explosive innings.
Conway fell well short of a well-deserved century as he aimed to accelerate the scoring rate in the death overs, departing after a quickfire 87 off only 52 balls. Star Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja smashed any hopes of a late comeback for the hosts with a blistering seven-ball 20. His contribution propelled the Yellow Army to a mammoth total of 223 runs.
Chennai Super Kings’ comprehensive win not only cemented their place in the top two but also showed their dominance in the tournament. With their strong batting lineup and disciplined bowling attack, they will be a formidable force to contend with in the upcoming playoffs.