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Delhi Capitals (DC) finally ended their 15-year-long curse of defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in the IPL on April 5. Axar Patel-led DC thrashed CSK by 25 runs to record their third straight win in the ongoing IPL 2025, a streak of success they last enjoyed way back in 2009.
This emphatic win over CSK has propelled Delhi Capitals to the top of the IPL 2025 points table. On the flip side, the loss means Chennai Super Kings have now suffered their third consecutive defeat, a setback they'll be eager to overcome in their upcoming matches.
Delhi Capitals didn't have the most confident start to their innings, losing Jake Fraser-McGurk for no score in the very first over. However, KL Rahul, stepping up to open in place of Faf du Plessis, anchored the innings beautifully with a well-crafted 77 off 51 balls.
He found valuable support from the team's young talents, Abishek Porel and Sameer Rizvi, who contributed crucial runs in the middle overs. Later in the innings, Tristan Stubbs injected some much-needed momentum with a quickfire 24 not out from just 12 deliveries, providing the late fireworks.
Despite some impressive bowling in the final overs from Matheesha Pathirana, the collective effort from the Delhi Capitals' batting lineup allowed them to reach a competitive total of 183 runs for the loss of six wickets.
Chasing the target, CSK struggled to build any real momentum. Their innings was plagued by a consistent loss of wickets at crucial junctures. Vipraj Nigam made a significant impact with a double-wicket over, including the important dismissal of Devon Conway. The quick departures of Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube further compounded their woes, and even the arrival of MS Dhoni couldn't inject the necessary impetus as the required run rate climbed. Ultimately, CSK could only muster 158 runs for the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs, falling short of the target by 25 runs.
I didn't expect it to be easy: Axar Patel after DC's win over CSK
Meanwhile, DC skipper Axar Patel despite the convincing win over CSK, said his team is yet to play a perfect match.
"I didn't expect it to be easy (on winning three on the bounce). Everyone contributed, the team balance looks good. Feels good as a captain to win three out of three. I was saving myself (on not bowling much today) and I also have an injured finger. Every match, there are some great catches and some drops as well. As a captain, I don't think we have played a perfect match yet. IPL is a long tournament, the momentum can swing anytime," Axar said the post-match presenationa.
CSK will next face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their own fort, Chepauk stadium, on April 8 while DC will lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 10.
