Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals, 17th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Another disappointing performance from the five-time champions in front of their home crowd. Three spinners and not one bowled the full quota of overs. And, with the bat, there was hardly any fight. Dhoni was out in the middle for almost 10 overs during the run-chase but there was very little to cheer for the crowd and that's a testament to how dominating DC were. That's it from this encounter. Switch tabs to follow Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals. See you there...

KL Rahul | Player of the Match: It's just how it's been, so I am quite used to it. I personally was honestly prepping to play at the top of the order before the IPL started and before I came here. Just a week before the IPL started, I had a chat with the coach and he said he wanted me to bat at No. 4 because we missed one of our senior players who didn't turn up, so he wanted me at No. 4, so, I said okay. Not much I can do, take on whatever role is given and go out there and enjoy my batting. But I was happy that I got an opportunity today to be at the top of the order. It's more mental and just the pattern and process of getting in and getting used to walking in at a particular stage. There are a few routines that I do. I'd like to get used to doing the same thing and your body gets used to doing that. Since I have been going up and down the order, I feel like a little unsettled when I walk in. It takes me a few minutes to just get used to it, that's been the most challenging part for me. Once I get through that initial nerves, then it's just game of bat and ball again. That's something that I have been working on constantly - to not take those 2-3 balls and if I can, go from ball one. That's something I have been working on. (On today's innings) I started off really well, a bit scratchy through the middle, but luckily for me, I had a few good partnerships. Porel came in and took on the game, those quick 20-25 runs really set up the game. That's how T20 cricket has changed. Even if it's a quick 20 that a batter gets in 7-8 balls, it really sets you up and takes a bit of pressure off me. I had a couple of partnerships like that with Axar and Abhishek Porel. Gave myself a little bit of time. I hit a few boundaries early on in the powerplay and then took a little bit of time and kept losing wickets at the wrong time when I wanted to go. So, just had to find a way to go deeper and find a way to keep hitting boundaries but without taking big risks. Once I got past the 11-over mark, I knew I had to go and I was trying to target a few bowlers who I felt I could take on. I tried to target the shorter side as well, luckily that came off. Towards the end, the weather and the heat really got to me, I got really cooked and I feel like I left about 15-20 runs in the back end. That's something that I can learn and be better next time.

Axar Patel: 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. The chat in the team meeting is about making an impact which is very important. I was saving myself (on not bowling much today) and I also have an injured finger. I wanted to bowl but didn't want to risk it as it's a long tournament. It's important not to get carried away. Every match, there are some good catches and some drops as well. As a captain, I don't think we have played a perfect match yet. We have started well but IPL is a long tournament, the momentum can shift anytime.

Mitch Starc: Pretty good performance today, we batted first and the whole batting lineup adjusted well. On par or just above but we still needed to bowl well, we got powerplay wickets and our bowling unit was fantastic as well. That's key in all cricket, particularly in T20 cricket where you go through the ebbs and flows. (on differences between here and Vizag) Still bloody hot. Sole difference is the red-soil here, it had more pace than Vizag, still two-paced and skidded a bit according to the batters. One side was big and you could defend one side and all the bowlers adjusted well. (on his yorker) Everyone knows it is coming but if you can execute it it still is a good ball. You can't have an ego in T20 cricket, search for things outside the box, try not to be predictable.

Ruturaj Gaikwad: Since the last few games it's not going our way. We are trying to improve, trying our best but not going our way. Definitely lost too many wickets. (Powerplay) It's a major concern even in the bowling department. We are giving way 15-20 runs extra or losing too many wickets. We are trying but it's just not happening. (On the team's woes) I just think that we are slightly over concerned or tentative whoever is bowling in powerplay. And with the bat obviously you don't want to lose an extra wicket but it's just about being positive. I think it's about being on the back foot and not being on the toes. Everyone needs to come together to make things happen. We need to make things happen. (About lack of intent today) Since powerplay we were always playing the catch up game. We were too far behind and we only had one batter left. DC bowled really well and used the conditions really well. Even when Shivam (Dube) was batting we were looking for momentum but it just didn't happen.

Conway was brought into the XI to strengthen their batting and probably to bat with more intent in the powerplay. However, it was another bad powerplay for the hosts. Ravindra fell early, Ruturaj was dismissed by Starc's short ball and Conway's scratchy innings was ended by Vipraj Nigam. CSK were well behind the eight-ball at the end of the powerplay and they never really managed to exert any sort of pressure on the DC bowlers. Dube smashed the first six of the innings in the tenth over but he fell off the very next ball. It was one-way traffic all through. Vijay Shankar got four reprieves and top-scored with an unbeaten 69, Dhoni walked in to bat in the 11th over (his earliest entry point in a complete 20-over game in IPL since 2023) and scored an unbeaten 30 off 36 deliveries. Their half-century partnership reduced the margin of defeat and never threatened to get close to DC's total.

Delhi Capitals winning first three matches in a season
2009
2025

19:14 Local Time, 13:44 GMT, 19:14 IST: RCB hadn't beaten CSK at this venue since IPL 2008, that jinx was broken last week. DC hadn't beaten CSK at this venue since IPL 2010 and that jinx has been broken today. DC go to the top of the points table with three wins in as many games. CSK, on the other hand, have now lost three in a row after winning their opening game. It was a brilliant performance from the Capitals. Opting to bat, they lost JFM for a 5-ball duck in the very first over, but they dominated proceedings after that. Faf's absence forced KL Rahul to bat at the top of the order and he played a gem of an innings. There were handy contributions from Porel, Axar, Rizvi and Stubbs. Despite Pathirana bowling superbly in the death overs, DC posted 183 on the board, which seemed above-par on this deck.

Mukesh Kumar to Shankar, 1 run, 140.4kph, low full toss, drilled back at the bowler, Mukesh can't hold onto it on his followthrough. The ball goes between his legs and long-off mops it up. A clinical performance from Delhi Capitals who win by 25 runs!

Mukesh Kumar to Dhoni, 1 run, 138.2kph, full toss, Dhoni swings across the line and mishits it to deep midwicket

Mukesh Kumar to Dhoni, FOUR, goes for the wide yorker, ends up bowling a low full toss. Dhoni reaches for it and manages to slice it into the gap between backward point and short third man

Mukesh Kumar to Shankar, 1 run, 135.2kph, yorker, middle-stump line, squeezed to long-on

Mukesh Kumar to Shankar, 2 runs, 138kph, low full toss outside off and Shankar slices it over backward point for a couple more

Mukesh Kumar to Shankar, SIX, 138.6kph, full and right in the hitting zone, Shankar shuffles across and lofts straight down the ground. Good strike, right off the meat of the bat

Mukesh to bowl the final over!

Mitchell Starc to Dhoni, no run, 138.2kph, right in the blockhole outside off, too good for Dhoni who can't lay bat on ball

Mitchell Starc to Shankar, 1 run, 139.7kph, full delivery, Shankar swings and inside-halves it to the right of long-on

Mitchell Starc to Dhoni, 1 run, 139.5kph, short of length, chopped towards point for a single

Mitchell Starc to Shankar, 1 run, 138.7kph, in-angling yorker from wide of the crease, Shankar squirts it towards midwicket

Mitchell Starc to Shankar, FOUR, nicely played! Banged in short by Starc, Shankar arches back and cheekily periscopes it over the keeper's head