Chennai, Apr 5: Pushed to open the batting in the absence of Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul brought back memories of his free-flowing self in T20s by slamming a superb 77 and set up Delhi Capitals’ solid 25-run win over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings in match 17 of IPL 2025 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

On a pitch which wasn’t a batting paradise per se, Rahul led the way for DC through his 77 off 51 balls, laced with six fours and three sixes, as his brilliant adaptability skills came to the fore yet again.

Whenever the bowlers made a mistake, like pitching it too full, Rahul was quick to hit them for boundaries, especially three of them coming against CSK’s strike-bowler and tournament’s leading wicket-taker Noor Ahmad, who didn’t complete his full quota of overs.

Rahul found good support from crucial knocks by Abishek Porel, Axar Patel, Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs, though none of them stayed for long to make a big score after electing to bat first. In reply, CSK suffered yet another poor batting power-play as DC were bang on with their plans.

With the pitch slowing down and not being conducive for boundary hitting, it meant CSK could only make 158/5, with Vijay Shankar making 69 not out off 54 balls. For DC, young leg-spin all-rounder Vipraj Nigam took 2-27, while bowlers barring Mohit Sharma and captain Axar took a wicket each, as DC got a win at Chepauk after 15 years and are now the top-ranked team in the points table.

DC were dealt an early blow when Jake Fraser-McGurk heaved to mid-on for duck off Khaleel Ahmed. Porel got going when Mukesh Choudhary offered width and he dished out straight drive, pull, edge and ramp to take three fours and a six in a 19-run second over. From the other end, Rahul’s show began by lofting Choudhary for six before pulling Khaleel for four.

It was followed by Porel cutting Ravichandran Ashwin between short third and backward point for four, as DC ended power-play at 51/1. But Ravindra Jadeja removed Porel for 33 when the batter guided the ball uppishly to short third man. Patel, promoting himself to number four, ensured DC didn’t face much heat from CSK spinners by lofting Jadeja for six, cover-driving Ashwin for four and rocking back to cut Noor for another boundary.

After Rahul slog-swept Noor for six, the wrist-spinner bounced back when his googly went past a slog-sweeping Axar and castled him for 21. Rahul, though, continued to hold one end by off-driving Pathirana for four, before dancing down the pitch to loft Jadeja for six.

After getting his fifty off 33 balls, Rahul muscled and swept Noor for a brace of fours, even as Rizvi thumped boundaries, including one going into the CSK dugout. Rahul welcomed a returning Choudhary with a lovely reverse scoop going for four, even as Rizvi fell for 20 to Khaleel.

Rahul swept Choudhary for a delightful four and had luck on his side when the pacer dropped him off his own bowling on 76. More thrashing was in store for Choudhary as Tristan Stubbs clubbed him for six and four, which came off a misfield, as 15 runs came off 19th over. Though Rahul gloved behind off Pathirana for 77 and Ashutosh Sharma was run-out on the very next ball, DC still managed to go past 180, as 45 runs came off the last five overs.

DC’s defence of 183 began on a bright note as Rachin Ravindra tried to flick off Mukesh Kumar, but the leading edge was caught by the bowler in his follow-through, as the batter was dismissed for three.

Ruturaj Gaikwad fell into Mitchell Starc’s short-ball trap as his short-arm jab went into the hands of deep backward square leg and be out for five. Nigam then struck as Devon Conway’s leading edge off a googly was caught by cover, with CSK ending power-play at 46/3.

With the pitch slowing down, DC were successful in keeping Shankar and Shivam Dube on a tight leash. The ploy of stifling the run-flow worked well as Dube holed out to long-on off Nigam for 18 and was followed by Kuldeep Yadav using his googly to trap Jadeja lbw for two.

Shankar, dropped on 18 and 27 apart from surviving a run-out and DC not going for a plumb lbw appeal, broke CSK’s 28-ball boundary drought by pulling Mohit for four, before swivelling and punching Kuldeep for a brace of boundaries.

Even though Shankar reached his fifty off 43 balls and MS Dhoni brought out some big hits after overcoming a slow start, especially doing that in front of his parents, wife and daughter, to be not out on 30 off 26 balls, it wasn’t enough for a struggling to prevent their second straight home defeat in IPL 2025.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 183/6 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 77, Abishek Porel 33; Khaleel Ahmed 2-25, Ravindra Jadeja 1-19) beat Chennai Super Kings 158/5 in 20 overs (Vijay Shankar 69 not out, MS Dhoni 30 not out; Vipraj Nigam 2-27, Mitchell Starc 1-27) by 25 runs

--IANS

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