Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 12 : A sensational century from Sanju Samson and a four-wicket haul from Jamie Overton were the highlights as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by 23 runs at Chepauk Stadium on Saturday.
Finally, CSK have got their first win of the season, breaking their six-match losing streak at home. Put to bat first by DC, Samson (115* in 56 balls, with 15 fours and four sixes) and Ayush Mhatre (59 in 36 balls, with three fours and four sixes) took CSK to 212/2 in 20 overs. In chase, Pathum Nissanka (41 in 24 balls, with five fours and two sixes) put on a 62-run stand with KL Rahul, and Tristan Stubbs scored a valiant 30-ball 60, but that was pretty much it from DC as a batting team, as Overton (4/18) and Kamboj (3/35) took wickets regularly.
CSK is at the ninth spot, with a win and three losses. DC is in fourth spot, with two wins and two losses.
In the run-chase of 213 runs, Pathum Nissanka started on a promising note, smoking Khaleel Ahmed for 16 runs in the second over, with two fours and a six.
KL Rahul collected a four and a six against spinner Akael Hosein in the third over, while Anshul Kamboj leaked 16 runs in his first over, courtesy a four each from Nissanka-KL and a six over deep mid-wicket by Nissanka. DC reached the 50-run mark in 3.5 overs.
It was Khaleel's left-arm pace which ended the 61-run stand, removing KL for a 10-ball 18. DC was 61/1 in five overs. Two balls later, it was Kamboj who removed Nissanka for a strong 24-ball 41, with five fours and two sixes. DC was 61/2 in 5.2 overs.
Wickets kept falling for DC as pacer Gurjanpreet Singh got Axar Patel (1) on his first IPL ball, and Sameer Rizvi was dismissed by Jamie Overton for a nine-ball six. DC was 76/4 in eight overs.
Halfway through, DC was 91/4, with David Miller and Tristan Stubbs, two South Africans out there. The 11th over by Noor Ahmed leaked 15 runs, courtesy a four and a six from Miller, bringing DC's 100-run mark in 10.5 overs. Just when the duo were looking to take off, Overton cleaned up Miller for a 14-ball 17, leaving DC down at 121/5 in 12.2 overs.
Stubbs was left staring at the fall of wickets as Ashutosh Sharma perished after a 10-ball 19, with a four and two sixes to Noor. DC was 149/6 in 14.5 overs. Courtesy of a boundary from Aquib Nabi, DC reached their 150-run mark in 15 overs.
Overton took his third, removing Aquib for just four, courtesy a stunning falling catch from Hosein, reducing DC to 154/7 in 15.4 overs.
Stubbs kept collecting boundaries against pace, reaching his fifty in 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes. He kept DC in the equation, needing 32 in the final two overs, with Kuldeep Yadav at the other end.
Overton took his fourth, removing Stubbs for 60 in 30 balls, four boundaries and three sixes. DC was 183/8 in 18.3 overs.
Kuldeep tried to go aerial, but fell to Kamboj with a fine catch from Brevis. DC ended their run chase at 189 all out on the final ball.
Overton (4/18) and Kamboj (3/35) were the pick of the bowlers for CSK.
Riding on a memorable unbeaten century from Sanju Samson and a strong supporting knock from Ayush Mhatre, CSK piled up a commanding total of 212/2 in 20 overs, putting Delhi Capitals under immediate pressure in the high-scoring encounter.
After being asked to bat, CSK got off to a confident start with Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad opening the innings. The duo together scored 27/0 after three overs. After the end of the power play, the Super Kings got to 61/0, with Samson playing as an aggressor.
During the second ball of the seventh over, CSK skipper Gaikwad gave Delhi Capitals a much-needed breakthrough through Axar Patel, departing for a sluggish 15 in 18 balls, with one four, ending a 62-run stand. However, the dismissal did little to slow down CSK's momentum as Sanju Samson took complete control of the innings with a commanding display of strokeplay.
During the ninth over. The right-handed batter Samson completed his half-century in 26 deliveries, with nine fours. After the end of the 10th over, the Super Kings reached 88/1.
CSK reached the 100-run mark in 10.4 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav was then smashed for 16 runs, a six each from Ayush Mhatre and Samson as the Super Kings raced to 119/1 after the end of the 12th over. Ayush Mhatre, who was supporting Samson from the other end, completed his well-deserved fifty in 27 balls, with three fours and four sixes. It was also Mhatre's third half-century in the cash-rich league.
Samson-Mhatre kept the scoreboard ticking with clean hitting as the Super Kings reached a commanding position at 160/1 after the end of the 15th over. Sanju Samson also completed 400 sixes in T20s and became the fourth Indian to reach it after Rohit (554), Kohli (441), and Suryakumar (442). Mhatre smoked T Natrajan for two sixes, and Samson unleashed a boundary in the 15th over, looting 19 runs.
During the fifth ball of the 18th over, Samson completed his fourth IPL century and the first in CSK's jersey. The right-handed batter achieved the glorious landmark in 52 deliveries, with 14 fours and three sixes. Samson's hundred was the second by a CSK batter against DC in IPL after Murali Vijay's 113 (58) at the same venue in the 2012 qualifying match.
Mhatre, on the other hand, retired after playing a fantastic knock of 36-ball 59, with three fours and four sixes.
Mhatre provided solid support at the other end, playing a crucial hand in building partnerships during the middle overs before CSK pushed towards a dominant position. The duo ensured that Delhi Capitals' bowling attack, featuring the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, and Lungi Ngidi, was unable to find sustained control in the middle phase.
Towards the end, Samson remained unbeaten on 115 off 56 deliveries, including 15 fours and four sixes. Shivam Dube stayed not out at 10-ball 20, with two fours and one six against Ngidi and Mukesh as CSK posted a commanding score of 212/2 in 20 overs. For the Delhi Capitals, captain Axar Patel took one wicket.
Brief Scores: CSK: 212/2 (Sanju Samson 115*, Ayush Mhatre 59, Axar Patel 1/39) beat DC: 189 (Tristan Stubbs 60, Pathum Nissanka 41, Jamie Overton 4/18).