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Riding high on confidence, Delhi Capitals will aim to make it to their first IPL final when they take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Qualifier 2 of the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League in Vishakhapatnam on Friday, 10 May.
The young Delhi side, which have been magnificent in this IPL edition, defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in a nail-biting Eliminator on Wednesday, 8 May. After restricting SRH to 162, Delhi eventually crossed the line with two wickets in hand in the final over of their chase.
The Chennai side, on the other hand has one of the most experienced side, with the like of MS Dhoni, Faf du Plesis and Shane Watson, among others. Chennai has been the team with the most IPL titles as well, leveling with Mumbai Indians at three titles.
The Delhi-based franchise have never made it to IPL final and thus would be eager to come out with yet another inspirational performance and set up a summit clash with the Mumbai Indians.
Chennai Super Kings: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Imran Tahir
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Colin Munro/Colin Ingram, Rishabh Pant(w), Sherfane Rutherford, Axar Patel, Keemo Paul, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Trent Boult
The IPL’s Governing Council’s decided to move the timing of all playoff matches to 7:30pm instead of the 8pm start we’ve had for the group stage fixtures this season.
So well, the captains will be walking out for the toss at 7pm tonight. That’s 37-year-old MS Dhoni and 24-year-old Shreyas Iyer.
The game will be played at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vishakhapatnam.
Shreyas Iyer calls it wrong and MS Dhoni wins the toss once again. The CSK skipper has elected to bowl first.
‘We anyway wanted to bat first so it’s a good toss to lose,’ says Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer.
Delhi are playing an unchanged XI. CSK have brought in Shardul Thakur for Murali Vijay.
They’re the ‘Dad’s Army’ and CSK’s cheer squad has now arrived at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Ziva Dhoni and Gracia Raina have been spotted in the stands often this season and their fathers’ biggest cheerleaders were today seen accompanying their mothers for the all-important Qualifier 2.
Chennai Super Kings: Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Colin Munro, Axar Patel, Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul, Amit Mishra, Trent Boult, Ishant Sharma
The first ball of this Qualifier was not the most auspicious. Deepak Chahar delivering a wide down Prithvi Shaw’s leg side. The last ball goes for a boundary.
DC: 7/0 in 1 over
Third over of the match and CSK have their first wicket. Prithvi Shaw’s in a bit of trouble trying to play the pull shot. Umpire says not out. Dhoni asks for the DRS and replays show the ball would be hitting the top of mid-stump. Shaw out on 5 off Chahar
DC: 21/1 after 2.3 overs
5 overs into the game and Deepak Chahar has already bowled 3 overs and picked up the wicket of Prithvi Shaw.
Shikhar Dhawan(18) and Colin Munro(12) are batting as the team reaches 36/1 in 5 overs.
Harbhajan Singh’s second over and the veteran sends packing his former team-mate. Shikhar Dhawan edges one to MS Dhoni and the skipper holds onto the ball. He’s out for 18.
DC: 38/2 in 5.3 overs
It’s Ravindra Jadeja this time and the spinner gets Munro to deliver the ball right into the hands on Bravo standing near the leg-side boundary line. Munro is walking on 27.
DC: 57/3 in 8.5 overs
Shreyas Iyer, batting on 13, hits one high and Suresh Raina pouches it with ease. Delhi lose their 4th wicket.
Axar Patel is the new man in.
DC: 75/4 in 11.3 overs
All focus on Rishabh Pant to score big tonight but the Delhi cricketer is just left watching as CSK continues to knock off his partners at the other end.
Axar Patel is the latest batsman to walk back to the hut. He lasted just 6 deliveries, scoring 3.
DC: 80/5 in 12.5 overs
Harbhajan Singh picks his 150th IPL wicket and it’s Shane Rutherford who’s sent packing this time. Three deliveries earlier he’d hit the spinner for a six and as he tries to send another one into the stands, it falls well short as Shane Watson’s safe hands latch onto the ball.
DC 102/6 off 16 overs
This is really starting to seem like a wickets highlights blog isn't it? Well, if you’re a CSK supporter then it shouldn't matter much.
The Men in Yellow have picked the seventh Delhi wicket and this one is an all West-Indian affair. Keemo Paul is castled by Dwayne Bravo on 3.
DC: 119/7 after 18 overs (Rishabh Pant still at the crease though!)
They were 7 down but there was still hope for a second wind in the Delhi innings because Rishabh Pant was out in the middle.
He’s lost partners at regular intervals and today, there wasn't much the keeper could do today either. After scoring 38, he becomes Deepak Chahar’s second wicket of the match.
Pant’s replacement at the crease, Trent Boult hits a big six off the second delivery he faces but off the third, he’s out as Jadeja claims his bails.
DC: 137/9 in 19.3 overs
Ishant Sharma hits a 4 and a 6 off the last two deliveries and Delhi Capitals wrap up their innings on 147/9.
Is it enough though?
Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson are involved in a massive mix-up on the third ball of the CSK innings.
Faf nudged the ball, headed out for the run, Watson said no but still ran and then both ran towards the non-striker’s end and then Faf ran back to his crease. Confused? Clearly, so were the two batsmen.
What were the DC players up to, you ask? They had their own share of errors to deal with. The ball was returned much wide of the fielder on the bowler’s end and then much wide of Rishabh Pant at his end.
Well, at least they got a run out of it.
Faf and Shane have both not been allowed to take off as Shreyas Iyer’s armory of bowlers are ensuring CSK don’t cruise to the target.
Just 16 runs off the first 4 overs so far.
CSK’s 50-run partnership comes up in 7.1 overs with the ball going past Shane Watson’s leg-side. An outstretched Rishabh Pant makes an effort but the ball cruises to the boundary line.
CSK: 55/0 in 7.3 overs
More than two-thirds of CSK’s runs have come off Faf’s bat so far and the opener celebrates his half century, off 37 balls.
Shane Watson at the other end looks inspired seeing his partner now settled properly at the crease and smashes a six himself, two deliveries later.
CSK 81/0 after 10 overs
Trent Boult has finally struck for Delhi Capitals and Faf du Plessis is caught near the boundary line by Keemo Paul.
Out on 50 off 39.
CSK: 81/1 after 10.2 overs
Shane Watson took the back seat when Faf raced ahead but now with Suresh Raina for company, Watson is hittin’ it big, and how.
23 runs off his bat in the 12 over and the Aussie reaches his half-century as well.
CSK: 108/1 in 12 overs
One delivery after scoring his half century, Shane Watson is caught by Trent Boult off Amit Mishra.
He’s done enough though, hasn’t he? 50 off 32 balls that included 3 boundaries and 4 sixes.
CSK: 111/2 in 13 overs (37 needed off 42 balls)
Last ball of the 16th over and Suresh Raina loses his wicket to Axar Patel. Out on 11 but the stadium is cheering because this means MS Dhoni is going to come out to bat.
CSK: 127/3 in 16 overs (21 needed off 24 balls)
Skipper MS Dhoni and Rayudu are at the crease and this one’s all but wrapped up.
CSK need 4 runs off 12 balls to book a spot against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2019 Final.
Needing 2 runs to win, MS Dhoni goes for a maximum but Keemo Paul cuts it off near the boundary line.
CSK: 146/4 in 18.4 overs
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings have beaten Delhi Capitals by six wickets to enter their eighth IPL final.
CSK will play Mumbai Indians for the title on Sundau in Hyderabad. The two teams have met each other thrice in summit clashes of the tournament with MI finishing on the winning side twice while Chennai outfit came out triumphant once.
"It's the usual route, last year was the exception(about playing Qualifier 2 to reach the final). The kind of response from the boys today was brilliant. The way we batted to get 140-plus runs was very nice," Dhoni said.
"The crucial part was to keep getting wickets. The credit needs to go to the bowlers. Thanks to the bowling department for where we are this season."
"We had a disappointing start, losing two wickets in the power play, and it was hard to recover from that," said Delhi captain Shreyas Iyer, who could score only 13.
"None of the batsmen took the initiative to take the team through and there wasn't a partnership building. Disappointing for us but a good learning."
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