IPL 2023: Chennai Super Kings defeat Delhi Capitals by 27 runs

Chennai Super Kings defeated Delhi Capitals at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday to close in on the IPL 2023 playoffs. CSK consolidated their position at the top-two in the points table with a comfortable victory and now have 15 points from 12 matches. This was CSK's 7th consecutive win over DC at the Chepauk.

CSK, four-time IPL champions, had a disastrous campaign in 2022 and finished 9th in the points table but they have been in remarkable form this season. It was another superb team effort on Wednesday as Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni scored rapidly as CSK scored 101 runs off the last 10 overs of their innings on a difficult batting pitch before Deepak Chahar, Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Matheesha Pathirana bowled brilliantly to derail DC's run chase.

Delhi Capitals had won four out of their last five matches before Wednesday but after the defeat to Chennai Super Kings, their chances of making it to the playoffs are almost over. DC will be able to finish with a maximum of 14 points if they win their remaining three matches but they will also need to take care of their net run rate which is the worst among 10 teams this season.

Deepak Chahar jolted Delhi Capitals early in their chase when he



dismissed David Warner for a duck in the first over and Phil Salt in the third over of the innings. On a pitch where batting was tricky, DC needed to get off to a quick start but Chahar's brilliant opening spell put the visitors on the backfoot. DC were pushed back further when Mitchell Marsh was run out as they slipped to 25 for 3 in the 4th over.

Manish Pandey, the Impact Player for DC, was removed by Matheesha Pathirana, the Impact player for CSK. Pandey hit two sixes including one off Pathirana but largely struggled, managing just 27 off 29 balls as the required run rate shot up. Rilee Rossouw needed to steer the chase for DC at this stage as Ripal Patel walked in to join him at the crease but he fell to Ravindra Jadeja in his final over. Like Manish Pandey, Rossouw was also unable to keep up with the asking rate, scoring 35 off 37 balls.

Axar Patel and Ripal Patel had a massive task ahead. The pressure was building on Delhi Capitals. Ravindra Jadeja (1 for 19) and Moeen Ali (0 for 16) had conceded only 35 runs in 8 overs between them. And CSK still had overs left from Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana with DC needing 77 off 30 balls.

Against a strong bowling attack, Delhi Capitals' lower order had no chance as they fell short by 27 runs.