MS Dhoni came to bat at No. 7 for Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Capitals in an IPL 2025 match on Saturday. Dhoni, one of the best finishers to ever play the game, stayed unbeaten till the end too but the result was not to CSK’s liking. At what was once their fortress, five-time champions CSK lost their third match on the trot. What was more worrying was the team’s batting frailty. After their top order failed to get going chasing Delhi Capitals’ 184-run target, there was much hope from the middle order. But Vijay Shankar (69* off 54) and MS Dhoni (30* off 26 balls) could not take the team over the line.
There was much criticism over how the duo could not accelerate the run-rate. On one occasion, MS Dhoni could not hit a big one on a ‘free-hit’ delivery. Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was commentating and he predicted that Dhoni would go for a six. “If he doesn’t go now, then when?” he said. CSK needed 94 off 40 balls at that stage. But Dhoni missed the ball and Sidhu said: “Le bhaiya, ye toh phush pataka nikla (that tund out to be a blank fire),” Sidhu said.
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Following his side’s victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel said that though he did not expect to win three games in a row so easily, his team has not played a “perfect match” yet.
Axar-led DC continued their brilliant run in IPL 2025, making it the first time since 2009 that they started the season with three wins. KL Rahul‘s match-winning 77 and spin-choke from Vipraj Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav helped them secure a 24-run win over the five-time champions.
Speaking after the post-match presentation, Axar said, “I did not 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 do not think we have played a perfect match yet. IPL is a long tournament, the momentum can swing anytime.”
Coming to the match, DC won the toss and elected to bat first. After losing Jake Fraser McGurk early, a 54-run stand between KL Rahul and Abishek Porel (33 in 20 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and KL’s 56-run stand with Sameer Rizwi (20 in 15 balls, with a four and six) kept DC at a healthy run rate. KL scored his first fifty in DC colours, scoring 77 in 51 balls, with six fours and three sixes. Tristan Stubbs (24* in 12 balls, with two fours and a six) played a fiery cameo towards the end, helping DC finish at 183/6 in 20 overs.
Khaleel Ahmed (2/25) was the top bowler for CSK.
CSK was not into the match during the chase, losing their five wickets for 74. Vijay Shankar (69* in 54 balls, with five fours and a six) and MS Dhoni (30* in 26 balls, with a four and six) tried to fight it out, but the Men in Yellow fell short by 24 runs, restricted to 158/5.
With IANS inputs
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