Skipper MS Dhoni’s late cameo (20 off 9) followed by a clinical show from the bowlers lead Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a comfortable 27-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in an IPL 2023 game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, here on Wednesday.

Delhi spinners were at their best as they kept the CSK batters at bay with six batters crossing 20 and the highest individual score was 25. But Dhoni’s crucial cameo ensured CSK finished with a fighting total of 167/8 in 20 overs.

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In reply, Delhi got off to a dismal start as they lost their openers in the Powerplay. Then, Riley Rossouw and Pandey steadied the ship and built a 59-run stand. But CSK bowlers maintained the stranglehold on the Capital batters to restrict them to 140/8 and notched their seventh win of the tournament.

Chasing 170, Delhi Capitals suffered early blows as Deepak Chahar struck in the very first over to remove skipper David Warner for a second ball duck. Phil Salt flicked away to the deep backward square for a boundary and stepped down and played a pull shot for a six in the second over to pump up the start.

He continued with his hit as he hammered Chahar for a six but the pacer was quick to bounce on the next delivery and removed the Salt for 17. DC lost both the openers within three overs.

The next over Mitchell Marsh and Manish Pandey got a huge mix up between the wickets while looking for a single. Ajinkya Rahane smartly ran to the bowler’s end and flicked the bails off and March got run out. DC were reeling 27-3 in four overs.

Riley Rossouw and Pandey took a couple of boundaries and maximum to take the Powerplay score to 47-3.

CSK bowlers were building pressure with their clinical bowling with just two big hits coming in the next four overs. The duo of Rossouw and Pandey steadied the innings as they kept rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard reeling.

The duo built a 59-run stand, which Matheesha Pathirana broke by dismissing Pandey for 27. The latter greeted Pathirana with a six in the 13th over but the pacer had a quick comeback as he got the former for lbw on the last ball of the over.

An over later, Jadeja came into the attack and got the set batter Rossouw, who sat on a knee to go for a slog sweep but ended up mis-hitting to long-on where Pathirana took a safe catch.

With the asking run-rate going over 18 runs per over, Axar Patel went for few big hits to release some pressure but was removed in the 18th over as Pathirana deceived him with a slower delivery.

When 48 was needed in 12 balls, Tushar Deshpande bowled a brilliant 19th over, conceding just five runs. Also, DC lost Ripal Patel through runout and the chase almost came to an end as the visitors needed 43 off the 6 balls to win.

Lalit Yadav hammered Pathirana for three boundaries in the final over and pacer cleaned up Yadav on the penultimate delivery as CSK wrapped up a 27-run win.

Earlier, batting first, CSK lost the in-form opener Devon Conway early in the Powerplay. It was Axar Patel who got the big fish for lbw. Then, Ajinkya Rahane and Ruturaj Gaikwad took the Powerplay score to 49/1.

Axar delivered another blow to CSK as he got rid of Gaikwad in the next over. Kuldeep Yadav struck in the 10th over to dismiss Moeen Ali and CSK were reduced to 66-3 halfway through the innings.

Soon, Lalit Yadav caught & bowled Rahane to pile up further miseries on CSK. Then, Dube and Ambati Rayudu hit the foot on paddle to turn the momentum, collecting 23 runs off the 13th over and CSK crossed the 100-run mark.

Mitchell Marsh removed dangerous looking Debe on a slower delivery and half of the Chennai side was back to the pavilion. Couple of overs later, Khaleel Ahmed removed Rayudu and CSK stumbled further.

Then the Chepauk crowd went mad and welcomed Dhoni to the crease with a loud cheer. In the penultimate over of the innings bowled by Khaleel, Dhoni smashed two sixes and a boundary, taking 21 off the over and CSK reached 160-6.

Jadeja began the last over well with a boundary, the next ball he miscued his shot and handed an easy catch to the long-on fielder, ending a crucial 38-run partnership. Two balls later, Marsh put an end to Dhoni’s fine cameo as CSK eventually posted 167/8 in 20 overs.

Brief score: Chennai Super Kings 167/8 in 20 overs (Shivam Dube 25 off 12, MS Dhoni 20 off 9; Mitchell Marsh 3/18, Axar Patel 2/27) beat Delhi Capitals 140/8 in 20 overs (Rilee Rossouw 35 off 37, Manish Pandey 27 off 29; Matheesha Pathirana 3/37, Deepak Chahar 2/28) by 27 runs.