DC dispatch listless CSK to make it three from three

Delhi Capitals dispatched a listless and directionless CSK by 25 runsto notch up their third straight win at the start of IPL 2025. KL Rahul set the tone with a composed 77 before wrist spinners Vipraj Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav choked the hosts in the chase, handing DC their first win over CSK at Chepauk since 2010.

Where was the game won?

In the middle overs, with and against spin. Axar Patel won a crucial toss and didn't even bowl himself through that phase, but DC completely bossed the nine overs post the PowerPlay in both innings. First, KL Rahul took on Noor Ahmad and Ravindra Jadeja, who together leaked 55 from their five overs. With the pitch offering more grip in the second innings, DC's wrist-spinning duo of Vipraj Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav conceded just 57 from eight overs and picked up three wickets, effectively sealing the contest.

Middle-overs mismatch:

DELHI CAPITALS

PowerPlay: DC offset early stumble

Phase Score: 51/1 (RR: 8.50; 4s/6s: 5/2)

Delhi Capitals' decision to bat first began on a sour note as Khaleel Ahmed struck early, removing the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk for a four-ball duck. However, No.3 Abhishek Porel quickly swung momentum back with a counterattacking approach, taking Mukesh Choudhary apart for 19 runs in an over. KL Rahul, back at the top of the order in Faf du Plessis' absence, played second fiddle early on but showed glimpses of fluency with a trademark pick-up six off Khaleel. The left-arm pacer, though, ensured DC didn't run away with the PowerPlay, finishing with tidy figures of 3-0-16-1, including eight dot balls.

Middle Overs: KL Rahul takes charge against CSK's spin

Phase Score: 87/2 (RR: 9.67; 4s/6s: 6/4)

Spin dominated as expected in Chennai, with Ashwin bowling the final PowerPlay over and returning later to concede just 21 from his three. Jadeja struck in his first over, removing Porel who guided one to short third. Axar Patel promoted himself to No.4 and announced his intent with a first-ball six, adding a brisk 21 off 14 before Noor Ahmad bowled him. Rahul was calm and fluent, shifting gears effortlessly. He slog-swept Noor for a six and then danced down to launch Jadeja into the sightscreen before bringing up a 33-ball half-century. Noor endured a tough phase, leaking 36 in his three overs.

Death Overs: Pathirana applies the squeeze

Phase Score: 45/3 (RR: 9.00; 4s/6s: 4/1)

DC's push towards 200 was derailed by two exceptional overs from Matheesha Pathirana, who conceded just 13 runs in his final spell. Khaleel backed that up with a solid fourth over, removing Sameer Rizvi and finishing with 2 for 25. The only relief came in the 19th, when Mukesh Choudhary leaked 15 to end a tough outing (0 for 50). That late burst helped DC cross 175-a total CSK haven't chased at home since 2020.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

PowerPlay: CSK endure another poor start

Phase Score: 46/3 (RR: 7.67; 4s/6s: 4/0)

CSK's top-order struggles continued as they lost three wickets inside the PowerPlay. Rachin Ravindra chipped a return catch to Mukesh Kumar, while Ruturaj Gaikwad fell once more to the short ball, as he pulled Mitchell Starc straight to long leg. Nigam, trusted with the sixth over, struck with a googly to remove Devon Conway, who lobbed a leading edge to cover. DC could have had a fourth if they'd reviewed an LBW appeal against Vijay Shankar - replays showed Starc's inswinging yorker struck boot before bat, but fielderPorel was convinced there was an edge.

Stat: CSK are the only side to score under eight/over in Powerplay (7.50) and their average (22.50) and boundary % (17.24) are the lowest among all teams.

Middle Overs: A 28-ball drought

Phase Score: 60/2 (RR: 6.67; 4s/6s: 3/1)

Spin strangled CSK through the middle as their innings slipped into quicksand. Shivam Dube briefly countered with a couple of boundaries off Nigam, but the young leggie bounced back, tossing one wide of Dube's arc to induce a mis-hit. With grip and turn on offer, Nigam returned impressive figures of 2 for 27. At the other end, Kuldeep Yadav tightened the screws with clever variations and trapped Ravindra Jadeja LBW, forcing MS Dhoni to walk out in the 11th over. CSK then endured a 28-ball stretch without a boundary before Shankar, dropped on 18 and 27, finally broke the shackles with three hits to the fence.

Death Overs: Too little, too late

Phase Score: 42/0 (RR: 8.40; 4s/6s: 2/2)

It took Dhoni 19 balls to hit his first boundary-the longest wait by any batter this season. By the time it came, in the 18th over, the result was beyond doubt. CSK needed 54 off the final two overs, and though they managed 31 in the last three, they finished well short. It was a limp end to a chase that never truly took off, and CSK now find themselves needing answers to arrest a worrying slide.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 183/6 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 77, Abhishek Porel 33; Khaleel Ahmed 2-25) beat Chennai Super Kings 158/5 in 20 overs (Vijay Shankar 69*; Vipraj Nigam 2-27) by 25 runs

What's next for the teams?

CSK will head north to Mullanpur and take on the high-flying Punjab Kings. Delhi Capitals have a short flight across to Benglauru where they'll face RCB on April 10.