'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Delhi Capitals (DC) secured a 20-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Sunday (March 31).
The Rishabh Pant-led side won the toss and batted first, which proved to be a smart decision. Openers Prithvi Shaw (43) and David Warner (52) stitched together a 93-run stand in 9.3 overs.
Batting at No. 3, Pant (51) looked like his former self again as he pushed the team total to 191/5 in their designated 20 overs. Matheesha Pathirana was the pick of the bowlers for CSK with figures of 3/31 in four overs.
In reply, the Super Kings lost their openers, Ruturaj Gaikwad (1) and Rachin Ravindra (2), inside the first three overs to Khaleel Ahmed. Ajinkya Rahane (45) and Daryl Mitchell (34) shared a 68-run stand, but the pressure of the asking rate resulted in their dismissals.
Although MS Dhoni (37*) hit a flurry of boundaries towards the end, Mukesh Patel's impressive figures of 3/21 in three overs helped limit CSK to 171/6.
On that note, let's check out three key moments from the DC-CSK game on Sunday.
1) David Warner-Prithvi Shaw put on a clinical show
The Delhi Capitals brought back Prithvi Shaw into the team for the match against CSK and shuffled their batting line-up around. The decision paid dividends as David Warner and Prithvi Shaw assessed the conditions well in the first three overs and got consistent boundaries in the last three overs of the powerplay.
Shaw looked on song in the sixth over, where he secured a hat-trick of boundaries, including back-to-back flicks for fours. On the other end, Warner displayed his ball-striking abilities to steer the team at an impressive rate.
The duo put together a 93-run stand in just 9.3 overs, which helped DC secure the victory.
2) Matheesha Pathirana's flying catch
Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana took a sensational catch to dismiss David Warner and break his blossoming partnership with Prithvi Shaw in the 10th over. Warner tried to reverse-scoop Mustafizur Rahman, but with no pace on offer, it could only reach short-third where Pathirana was stationed.
The youngster pulled off a stunning one-handed catch and left the onlookers in awe. The wicket certainly shifted the momentum in CSK's favor, as DC lost wickets in clusters. Interestingly, Pathirana was terrific with his slinging yorkers to breach the defenses of Mitchell Marsh and Tristan Stubbs soon after.
3) Khaleel Ahmed's sensational opening spell
Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed looked in terrific rhythm with his run-up and line-length on Sunday. He took the important scalp of Ruturaj Gaikwad (1) in the first over by finding his inside edge.
In his next over, Khaleel beat Rachin Ravindra's edge quite a few times, which put the batter under pressure. As a result, the southpaw tried to pull a wayward ball, which was shaping away, and was caught by Tristan Stubbs in the long-on region.
Khaleel ended with figures of 2/21 in four overs and played a key role in DC's maiden win.
