CSK vs DC HIGHLIGHTS, IPL 2021, Qualifier 1: Dhoni finishes in style, Chennai enters ninth IPL final

DC vs CSK Live Score, Qualifier 1, IPL 2021: Get the IPL live updates of Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings. The match will be played in Dubai.

Updated : Oct 10, 2021 23:44 IST

Dhoni smokes Avesh Khan for a huge six over mid-wicket.
Dhoni smokes Avesh Khan for a huge six over mid-wicket.
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Dhoni smokes Avesh Khan for a huge six over mid-wicket.

Hello and welcome to Sportstar's HIGHLIGHTS of the IPL 2021 Qualifier 1 between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dubai.

 

 

The redemption arc is nearly complete. After being the first team to be knocked out from IPL 2020, here they are, the Yellow Army storm into the IPL final - their ninth and the competition's 14th tonight. And it's fulfilled by their beloved talisman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who continues to hold absolute faith in his 'process' and assuredness. Dhoni's capabilities have waned, no doubt. But the confidence to have himself play ahead of better placed, 'younger' players to come in a crucial juncture of the chase, was both eye-popping and laudable. And in customary style, MSD rolled back the years, instilled the fear in the bowler and steered his side to their familiar territory in customary fashion.

CSK 173/6 in 19.4 overs: Curran to Moeen. OUT! Straight to deep mid-wicket! Dhoni on strike now. 13 off 5. Short and wide and Dhoni hangs in the air and crashes it over cover for FOUR! 9 needed off 4. That was some strike from MS! Curran bowls it full in Dhoni's arc outside off and he gets an inside-edge for FOUR! 5 needed off 3 now! Curran feels the pressure and bowls a wide. CSK needs 4 from 3 . Short from Curran once again and Dhoni pulls it for FOUR! Chennai win!  They are into their 9th IPL final and it's that man again behind the final proceedings! Never count him off.

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Calm and cool as ever, MSD seals the deal in trademark fashion.
 

Tom Curran to bowl the last. CSK needs 13 to win!

CSK 160/5 in 19 overs: Avesh to Gaikwad. OUT! Caught at deep mid-wicket! What a time to lose your set batter. Low full-toss from Avesh and Gaikwad slips his bat while slamming the ball. Axar steams in from the fence and completes an excellent sliding catch. A fine knock has come to an end. And it's Dhoni in at no.6 ahead of Jadeja! Moeen finds a four behind point as he opens the face of the bat and gets a single. Dhoni on strike. He misses the first ball as Avesh rolls in a slower one. Short from Avesh to follow and BAAANG! Dhoni smacks it over mid-wicket for a thunderous six!  Ruturaj Gaikwad c Patel b Avesh Khan 70 (50b 5x4 2x6)

CSK needs 24 in 2 overs

CSK 149/4 in 18 overs: Hold his nerve, does Rutu! Nortje gives nothing as he slips the ball into the full on a yorker length first-up. Gaikwad drills the ball off the length and tucks it past a diving Hetmyer at mid-off for four. Nortje keeps it tight throughout the over before Gaikwad steps down and slams the full-toss over point for another four.

CSK needs 35 in three overs

CSK 138/4 in 17 overs: Avesh heaps pressure on the batters with some nippy length before tossing them over with a loose full-toss. Gaikwad plays out the situation and does not attempt an aerial stroke. He nudges the full-toss towards mid-wicket with a wristy flick for four.

Avesh replaces Rabada

CSK 129/4 in 16 overs: A nagging over from Nortje sees a pale end as Moeen finds the bumper and pulls it past mid-wicket for four. Equation in the balance as CSK needs 44 in 4 overs.

Nortje into the attack

CSK 121/4 in 15 overs: Rabada to Gaikwad. OUT! Run out at the non-striker's and Rayudu's on his way!  Rabada bumps Gaikwad with  quicker one and he pulls it towards long-on and sets off for two runs. Rayudu takes off on the second but an excellent throw from Iyer and an equally fine take from Rabada to flick the bails sees the back of Rayudu. Well, well. The chase is shifting quickly in the space of minutes here.  Ambati Rayudu run out (Iyer/Rabada) 1 (3b)

CSK 117/3 in 14 overs: Curran to Uthappa. OUT! Iyer completes a top catch at long-on! Short from Curran and Uthappa launches the pull. Mistimes it and Iyer gathers himself near the fence for the ball as Axar runs in in close proximity. Iyer keeps his cool to grab and lob it up as he briefly passes the boundary before skipping back to complete the catch. But take nothing away from Robbie, what a sensational knock. Meanwhile, another surprise no.4 for the night, Shardul Thakur walks in. Gaikwad gets to his half-century with a single. Thakur slogs first-ball and holes out to the deep! It's Iyer again at long-on and an eventful over comes to an end. Robin Uthappa c Iyer b Curran 63 (44b 7x4 2x6); Shardul Thakur c Iyer b Curran 0 (1b)

Curran returns. Pant continues to shuffle around, in absolute desperation.

CSK 111/1 in 13 overs: High-Class, Robbie!  Ashwin tries to play with Gaikwad once again as he bails out of the bowling stride off the last moment. Gaikwad doesn't play fool this time as he nudges the next ball for single. Uthappa then launches a fine reverse-sweep behind point for four. Ashwin tosses it up straight next ball and Uthappa bangs it down the ground over the umpire for a crisp straight drive. He's in some touch tonight!

CSK 99/1 in 12 overs: Rabada goes short outside off and Gaikwad parries it over point to the deep. This is top running between the wickets as Uthappa supports his younger mate and sneaks in three runs. Well it's taken some toll on Uthappa as there's a break with him getting some treatment for a back problem.

Rabada is back

CSK 94/1 in 11 overs: Ruturaj joins the party!  Axar darts the ball into Gaikwad who rocks back and muscles the ball over long-on, beating Rabada by a few inches to fetch six runs. Axar straightens his line and this time Rutu shimmies down and tonks the ball over the left-armer for four. Chennai is cruising in the chase at the moment.

CSK 81/1 in 10 overs: Fifty for Uthappa! What an innings has this been. He came in and absorbed all the pressure off Ruturaj with some pristine shots. He's also matched up with Gaikwad in some excellent running between the wickets.

CSK 75/1 in 9 overs: Gaikwad and Uthappa continue to rotate strike with ease. Ash attempts to break the rhythm as he doesn't deliver the bowl despite completing his stride against Gaikwad. Rutu gives it back next ball as he bails out at the last minute. Ash fires one into the pads in reply and Gaikwad nudges it towards midwicket and sneaks in a quick double. Fine little contest out there in the middle.

Ashwin replaces Axar

CSK 68/1 in 8 overs: Clever stuff from Curran as he mixes up his pace drastically. Gaikwad and Uthappa tread watchfully and roll about in ones and twos.

Tom Curran into the attack

CSK 64/1 in 7 overs: Axar keeps it tight. Uthappa and Gaikwad treat the ball around the circle for just five singles. DC needs to pull things back quickly.

CSK 59/1 in 6 overs: The walking assassin is back! Uthappa smokes Avesh for two massive sixes as he walks into the first one on the slot and powers it over long-off. Avesh follows up with a fine delivery that picks up from the full but Uthappa holds his shape and pummels it down the ground for a glorious six. He whips a short one over midwicket for four before slamming another one over long-off to finish. What an over for Robbie and CSK!

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Robbie, turning back the clock!
 

Avesh is back

CSK 39/1 in 5 overs: Axar pins Uthappa to the crease with a tight line. Uthappa gets off strike on the fourth ball and Gaikwad laces the off-side fence with a gorgeous inside-out lofted stroke. What a batter he's turning out to be up at the top!

CSK 34/1 in 4 overs: Ruturaj welcomes Rabada with a cracking six! He dances down the wicket and meets the length ball on the bounce. Gaikwad still gets on top of the ball and slams it straight back for a spell-binding maximum. Rabada is too weak on his lines as he strays to Uthappa's pads to follow. Uthappa flicks it fine and gets another four.

Rabada replaces Avesh

CSK 20/1 in 3 overs: Nortje fires the ball into Uthappa who clips it fine for two runs.  A couple of singles to follow as Nortje continue to raise the heat on the speedometer.

CSK 16/1 in 2 overs: Uthappa attempts to open the face of the bat and glide Avesh down to the third boundary. He ends up playing it much finer and just about beats the fly slip for four. Uthappa is playing with a more positive front-foot stride and gets another single. Wonder when would the short ball be put to effect.

Avesh Khan into the attack

CSK 8/1 in 1 over: Nortje to du Plessis. OUT! Cleans him up with a ripper! What a beauty from Nortje to get his Proteas senior. Nips it in sharply and prompts du Plessis to play down the wrong as the ball crashes into the middle stumps. Massive jolt this for CSK. Uthappa in at 3. He gets off the mark with a sizzling cover drive! Gets in line and caresses the ball through the gap to get off the mark. Nortje tucks one in again and Uthappa nudges it to the on-side and sneaks in a single. Faf du Plessis b Nortje 1 (2b)

Anrich Nortje to start off.

Back for the chase! Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis are at the middle for CSK.

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A fine partnership between Hetmyer and Rishabh Pant has done the job for the Capitals who were reeling at four down post the half-way mark. The southpaw duo did well to not succumb to pressure and kept churning in the ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking before teeing off with boundaries towards the end. A just above par total here and CSK will have to fight it out to get into the final on their first attempt.

DC 172/5 in 20 overs: Excellent last over from Thakur. He hits the blockhole and Pant fails to score off the first three balls. He gets a lucky edge to the third boundary for four before finding a couple of twos to finish, reaching his fifty in the process. CSK needs 173 to win and reach its ninth IPL final.

DC 164/5 in 19 overs: Bravo to Hetmyer. OUT! Bravo finally gets his man.  Pant starts off the over with another one-handed six down the ground and nearly holes out to deep point with Chahar diving in for a tough chance. Hetmyer gets on strike and attempts to pull a back of a length delivery that springs up. He mistimes it and Jadeja completes a fine catch in the deep on the leg-side. Shimron Hetmyer c Jadeja b Bravo 37 (24b 3x4 1x6)


DC 153/4 in 18 overs:
Pant stays deep in his crease and drills Hazlewood down the ground for four to start off. Hazlewood strays to the pads and this time Pant opens his stance and hoicks the ball over mid-wicket for another four. Hazlewood does well to return to the blockhole and restrict the batters to singles.

Hazlewood replaces Thakur

DC 141/4 in 17 overs: Short from Bravo and Hetmyer bludgeons the ball over mid-wicket for four. Pant escapes with an outside-edge as Bravo bowls full to him. Dhoni attempts to dive to his right but fails to make enough ground to catch the ball.

Bravo to continue

Timeout. Dhoni is having an animated chat with umpire Richard Illingworth, presumably about the landing area for the bowlers. He isn't pleased one bit.

DC 127/4 in 16 overs: Slower ball from Thakur and Pant lands a one-handed six over mid-wicket! Low full-toss from Thakur with minimum pace on it and Pant fails to reach the line of the ball. Instead, his bat does after a wild swing and the ball sails 86m into the stands off his top-hand.

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Rishabh has that effect on the bowlers.
 

Thakur is back

DC 114/4 in 15 overs:  Bravo rolls in his slower-ones before hitting the blockhole outside-off.  Hetmyer deftly opens the face of the blade and guides it beside the short third for four.

Bravo into the attack.

DC 107/4 in 14 overs: 100 up for Delhi with a fierce six from Hetmyer. Moeen errs on length and bowls a tad short. Hetmyer clings onto it and slams it over mid-wicket for a flat six. Moeen bowls out after a decent spell, conceding just that lone boundary that he did in this over besides Axar's wicket.

Moeen to bowl out

DC 95/4 in 13 overs: Chahar mixes up his length to Hetmyer and Pant. The pair is nudging about carefully at the moment and just five runs come off it.

Deepak Chahar is back

DC 90/4 in 12 overs: Hetmyer and Pant soak in the pressure and keep piercing Moeen through the gaps to squeeze in quick runs.

DC 83/4 in 11 overs: Jadeja to Shaw. OUT! Lofts it over cover and du Plessis holds onto it at long-off! DC in big trouble now. How about playing an absolute gorgeous stroke to get out? Well, here it is. Shaw absolute nails the lofted cover-drive as he finds the perfect delivery for it. du Plessis scampers from a straighter position to hold onto the ball.  Prithvi Shaw c du Plessis b Jadeja 60 (34b 7x4 3x6)

DC 79/3 in 10 overs: Moeen to Axar. OUT! Straight down the ground but no timing on it. Santner, the sub-fielder, picks it up easily at long-on. Moeen lands the ball short and Axar rocks back and aims to pull the ball down the ground. He gets a toe edge on it and holes out to long-on. Skipper Pant at the crease. He nudges the ball to cover and sneaks in a quick single.  Axar Patel c sub (MJ Santner) b Ali 10 (11b 1x4)

DC 74/2 in 9 overs: Crunch from Prithvi! Jadeja tosses the ball short and Shaw creates ample room to place the ball behind point for four. Jadeja keeps it on length once again and Shaw quickly pulls it to square leg for another boundary. And that's fifty for Shaw off 27 balls - the first by a DC batter in the UAE leg!

DC 64/2 in 8 overs: Moeen cuts room for Shaw and Axar and lines his deliveries along the middle-stump. Shaw does well to lean forward and nudge about the inner-ring to find a couple of singles.

Moeen replaces Hazlewood

DC 60/2 in 7 overs: Jadeja comes around the wicket to Axar. He tosses it wide outside off and Axar deftly lofts it over cover. Bravo covers quick ground from point but fails to cut it across. Dhoni's is not pleased with Jadeja's line and gestures at him after the ball.

Jadeja into the attack

DC 51/2 in 6 overs: Hazlewood to Iyer. OUT! A skier and Gaikwad pouches it safely! Hazlewood brings the ball in quickly to Iyer who opts to guide it through mid-wicket. He ends up getting a leading-edge on that one and perishes after a short stay.  Pressure once again on the DC middle-order. Surprise, it's Axar at 4! Straight out from the Ponting manual, isn't it? Shreyas Iyer c Gaikwad b Hazlewood 1 (8b)

DC 50/1 in 5 overs:  Shaw on a roll! He welcomes his fellow Mumbaikar with a dazzling slog over mid-wicket for six. 84m it goes into the stands. Shaw holds his pose elegantly on that one. Thakur pushes a fuller ball to follow and Shaw slams it straight back for another six! 50 up for Delhi in the Powerplay! Thakur rolls in a slower one to finish and finds Shaw's outside-edge. A tough stretch for Dhoni and the ball hits the tip of his fingers before rolling away.

Thakur replaces Chahar

DC 36/1 in 4 overs: Hazlewood to Dhawan. OUT! Edged and taken by MSD! Absolute beauty from Hazlewood. Pushes in on the length, wound tight against the off-stump as Dhawan has a gently poke at it. The ball clips the outside edge and presents Dhoni a simple catch. Iyer in at 3, Hazlewood keeps him on nought with four nagging deliveries on the money.  Shikhar Dhawan c †Dhoni b Hazlewood 7 (7b 1x4)

DC 32/0 in 3 overs: Bang, bang goes Shaw! 
Another streaky edge from Shaw to start off the over. Chahar brings it in to the right-hander who French-cuts it through his legs for four through fine leg. Chahar then offers some room and Shaw pounces on it through point for another boundary. Another wry bowl goes down leg and Shaw glides it towards the fine leg for four! The onslaught is done yet, Shaw slams the last ball in blazing fashion, once again through point!

DC 15/0 in 2 overs: Two streaky edges for Shaw! Hazlewood pins Shaw down with a tight line around the stumps before fending a couple of short balls. Shaw slashes hard and finds two top-edges flying over Dhoni for a boundary and a six.

Josh Hazlewood from the other end

DC 3/0 in 1 over: Fine start for Chahar. He cramps Shaw for room second ball. Shaw nudges it towards square and gets off strike. Chahar slides the ball into Dhawan who does the same to open his account. Shaw ends the over with another single.

Deepak Chahar with the new ball. Shaw on strike.

Qualifier 1 is ON! In walk Dhoni's yellow army to the field. They are followed by Capitals' openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw.

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MSD leads the Yellow Army for yet another Playoff contest!
 

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CSK is coming off a three-match losing streak. To its defence comes a positive record that it hasn't lost a single game this season while chasing, having won all five.

Chennai Super Kings  (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood

Delhi Capitals  (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Shreyas Iyer, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Tom Curran, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje

Toss: CSK wins the toss, opts to bowl

Dhoni : "Want to bowl first because most of the guys have felt there's a bit of help for fast bowlers here. And then it goes one-pace. But its not a wicket where things ease down. Its a tough wicket."  Same team for Chennai .

Pant : "We have batted first enough times in the season so we are fine. But we would've liked to bowl."Delhi makes one change: Tom Curran for Ripal .

Toss time in Dubai!

Pitch Report: Pommie Mbangwa and Matthew Hayden say: 'Today there is a shorter and longer boundary square. 62 one way, 74 the other. Haydos is here. What do you see? I see a better surface than the one Delhi Capitals went down on (against RCB). There is less grass, it is nice and dry. But the cracks have't come into play because this is only the third time we are using this pitch. 160 is the score, but if the middle order gets going 170 is an option. Four captains have decided to bat first and only one of them was successful. The other seven have decided to chase off which five have been successful. Chasing seems to be the way here and that's because the pitch doesn't change much.'

 

6:35PM IST: Live visuals have Robin Uthappa going through a throwdown session. Looks like Raina's sitting out this one as well.

Faf du Plessis  to the broadcaster: "It's a big game, that's why we practice and play this game to get a like tonight. The guys are very excited to be here tonight. Batting is about experience and learning. T20 cricket is great, because you feel like you are always learning. It doesn't make a difference if you play someone you have faced in the nets. I am someone who doesn't spend too much time worrying about or studying the opposition. You know Flem [Stephen Fleming], so our team meeting was short and sweet. The strength of CSK is that there aren't many highs and many lows. How good would it be to play in the final! That's obviously a plus to be in the position we are today. You get two cracks at the final."

6:21PM IST: Perfect evening to end the half-century drought

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Can Rishabh Pant find the goods with the bat tonight>
 

6:15PM IST: Numbers Game


Match Preview

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Delhi Capitals (DC) — it has lost to Capitals twice in the league stage — in Dubai in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2021 on Sunday. The winner of this match will directly qualify for the final, the losing side meets the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). 

CSK comes into the match on the back of three successive losses, the last one being a crushing six-wicket defeat against Punjab Kings at the same venue. That loss showed that CSK bowlers struggle in flat conditions. However, they would hope to be better informed about what to do when batters attack them. 

The top order has been one of the big reasons for CSK's turnaround this year. Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad set the tone for their entire innings, and CSK would want more of the same.

 

Gaikwad, in red-hot form otherwise, has been dismissed cheaply in the last two games. He hit a short ball from Anrich Nortje straight to midwicket the last time these two sides met. Gaikwad can expect another severe examination from the DC quicks. 

Against Punjab, MS Dhoni threatened to break free before being bamboozled by a Ravi Bishnoi wrong'un. Dhoni should consider sending in-form Ravindra Jadeja ahead of him, regardless of the situation.

DC, on the other hand, needs to work on its fielding. Glenn Maxwell was dropped twice in the same over which dented DC's chances against RCB in the last match. Kagiso Rabada's form at the death this season is a concern as well. He has gone at 10.84 rpo in the death overs and picked up just four wickets.

DC skipper Rishabh Pant also needs to come up with a way to handle Ravichandran Ashwin better. Against RCB, a team with a clutch of right-hand batters, Ashwin bowled just one over. CSK is likely to have a similar makeup should Robin Uthappa play ahead of Suresh Raina — it will still have two left-handers in the playing XI — Moeen Ali at the top and Jadeja in the lower middle order. DC needs to get more out of its premier off-spinner. How Ashwin is used could have a bearing on the outcome of the match.


Predicted Line-ups

CSK Predicted XI: Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa/Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Josh Hazlewood

DC Predicted XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Ripal Patel/Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan

Where to watch today's match?

The  IPL 2021  match between DC and CSK will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD at 7:30pm. The online streaming will be available on Hotstar.

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