Sanju Samson delivered a masterful unbeaten 87 while Kartik Sharma added 41 to guide Chennai Super Kings to a commanding 8-wicket victory against Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2026 clash. Before that, Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs produced vital innings to help Delhi Capitals reach 155/7. With DC struggling at 69/5 after their middle order crumbled, Rizvi (40*) and Stubbs (38) forged an essential 65-run stand for the sixth wicket that lifted their team to a respectable total. Noor Ahmad claimed two wickets for CSK. Bowlers and Samson Show Strong Performance in Playoff Push .
TOSS-
Delhi Capitals won the toss and chose to bat first.
PLAYING XI –
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI):
Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI):
KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Karun Nair, Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel(c), Ashutosh Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan
DELHI CAPITALS-
Their choice to bat first may have backfired. They probably anticipated conditions would worsen as the match progressed, but first they needed to post a competitive score. Within just one over, Akeal Hosein demonstrated why judging the pitch was challenging. Hosein discovered bounce and spin immediately on the difficult surface. Both KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka found it hard to time shots properly, prompting Ruturaj Gaikwad to extend Hosein’s powerplay spell to three overs. He restricted both right-handed batsmen effectively and eventually forced Rahul into a risky aerial shot that was caught at mid-off.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Choudhary struck with a slower ball on a challenging length, worsening Delhi’s early troubles by dismissing Pathum Nissanka.
Delhi’s persistent problem has been bringing Sameer Rizvi in too early during difficult conditions for fast bowling. However, this pitch seemed perfect for his style, yet he began as an Impact Sub. Before they could use him, DC’s position deteriorated further. Noor Ahmad dominated the middle phase, dismissing Nitish Rana and Karun Nair, while the returning Gurjapneet Singh bowled sharp lengths to dismiss struggling Axar Patel.
At 69 for 5 in the 11th over, DC finally acted, introducing Rizvi as Impact Sub to handle spin alongside Ashutosh Sharma, who was better equipped to face pace bowling later. This decision meant sacrificing extra spinner Vipraj Nigam. Rizvi built a crucial 65-run partnership from 47 deliveries with Tristan Stubbs, both players moving across their stumps and smartly using pace to find gaps behind square. Strangely, despite short lengths working well, Gaikwad saved Jamie Overton until the 19th over for just one delivery. Delhi made the most of the final overs, scoring 20 from the last over bowled by Anshul Kamboj to reach 155.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS-
Following Ruturaj Gaikwad’s early dismissal and Urvil Patel’s brief contribution, Sanju Samson played cautiously to stabilize the innings. Both powerplay phases essentially balanced each other out. The chase therefore depended on how Delhi Capitals’ spinning duo would perform. Axar Patel delivered effectively, allowing only 25 runs from four economical overs while maintaining pressure. However, Kuldeep Yadav struggled to maintain control during the middle period.
Every one of his three overs included at least one boundary hit, with his third over highlighting his difficulties: bowling too full one delivery, then dragging it short the next. CSK seized the opportunity, scoring 34 from his bowling and essentially reducing the target to a manageable run-a-ball chase.
Samson showed excellent game awareness in his approach. He avoided rushing the scoring rate, instead choosing his opportunities and targeting specific bowlers. He hammered 25 from 9 balls against Kuldeep Yadav – including three sixes and a four – then followed with 27 from 8 deliveries against T. Natarajan, hitting three boundaries and two sixes. This focused attack left Delhi Capitals always behind the game, running short of both runs to defend and bowling options.
Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 155/7 in 20 overs [Sameer Rizvi 40* (24); Noor Ahmad 2-22, Akeal Hosein 1-19] lost to Chennai Super Kings 159/2 in 17.3 overs [Sanju Samson 87* (57), Kartik Sharma 41* (31); Axar Patel 1-25] by 8 wickets.
About the Author
