IPL 2022: All-round CSK crushes Capitals, stays alive in playoffs race

IPL 2022: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad lay foundation with the bat; Moeen Ali and Mukesh Choudhary rip Capitals apart.

Super Kings’ night got even better as the Capitals, uncharacteristically collapsed like a pack of cards in their 209-run chase.

Chennai Super Kings’ sagacious effort with the bat gave way to recklessness by Delhi Capitals’ overeager batters in a lop-sided Indian Premier League contest at the DY Patil Stadium. Chasing 209, Capitals tumbled to 117 for its heaviest defeat this season.

The Capitals were well in hunt despite losing their openers early, thanks to some rapid run-making by Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant during the Powerplay. But Marsh’s dismissal in the eighth over – he tried a slog-sweep for six off Moeen Ali (3 for 13) and holed out to the fielder at long-on – panned out to be the turning point as the innings took a nosedive after that. By the 11th over, the contest was virtually over as four wickets had fallen for 13 runs.

Rishabh Pant was dismissed by M. Theekshana after he dragged an off-break to the stumps. Ripal Patel holed out while trying a slog-sweep too many. Left arm-seamer Mukesh Choudhary followed up with the wickets of Axar Patel and Rovman Powell in quick succession.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Super Kings batters, in contrast, hardly gave the opposition a sniff until three-quarters into the innings. Devon Conway (87, 49b, 7X4, 5X6) continued his dream run with the bat, indulging in some lusty hits, while Gaikwad gave him good support, scoring a patient yet brisk 41 (33b, 4x4, 1x6). Conway took a particular liking to the spinners. He went down the track to hit a couple of sweet sixes off Axar Patel during the Powerplay and then went after Kuldeep, whose flighted deliveries were sitting up to be hit, in his first over.

It took an effort ball from Nortje to break the nagging partnership.

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More agony was to follow as Conway continued on merrily and found another reliable partner in Shivam Dube, who tucked into Shardul Thakur in the 16th over after being dropped in the same over.

M. S. Dhoni (21 n.o., 8b, 1x4, 2x6) enlivened the capacity crowd by providing the finishing touches. The yellow colour was ubiquitous in the stands and the spectators went ballistic as Dhoni tonked a six down the ground off Mitchell Marsh and then cut the next delivery for four. Later, he picked up another six, pulling a delivery from Khaleel Ahmed (2 for 28) to long-off.

Super Kings’ night got even better as the Capitals, uncharacteristically collapsed like a pack of cards.