Led by half-centuries from David Warner and Rishabh Pant, backed up by fine spells from Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar, Delhi Capitals registered their maiden win of IPL 2024 and handed Chennai Super Kings their first loss of the season as the hosts secured a 20-run win in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Khaleel Ahmed was in particular lethal in the powerplay cutting the CSK wings right on the top giving Delhi a solid start in defence of 192 runs .
A fine spell of swing bowling by Khaleel Ahmed, in helpful conditions, helped Delhi Capitals snap two early wickets. There was also some seam movement and spongy bounce which helped DC’s new ball pair especially Khaleel Ahmed.
Pitch and Toss
The climatic conditions look really good for a game of cricket. Nice gentle breeze blowing across the ground and we are playing on pitch number 4, which is bang in the middle. 62m either side of the wicket, and 71m down the ground. There is an even covering of grass on the pitch, the root structure looks good which keeps the soil together, so don’t expect a lot of turn.
This pitch seems to be very good for batting. Average first innings score in previous games has been 157, but that was 2019 and before so that is a bit outdated. I think the average first innings score now should be around 175-180. Bowlers need to choose the right options – the early trend has been to be back of a length with pace on and pace off, and don’t forget your cutters. It seems like a bat first wicket, reckons Darren Ganga ,with thoughts from Rohan Gavaskar.
Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh pant won the toss and chose to bat. Two changes were made in the DC squad- Kuldeep had a niggle, Prithvi Shaw comes in. Ricky Bhui is out, Ishant Sharma comes in.
Chennai Super Kings bowling first made no changes in their squad.
Shaw-Warner live up to the reputation
On paper, David Warner and Prithvi Shaw form one of the most destructive opening combinations in the IPL. However, they couldn’t live up to that reputation last season and Shaw was left out for the opening two games this season. On his return though, the duo exhibited exactly why they are so fearsome. After a couple of scratchy overs, they found the rhythm and took the attack to the CSK bowlers.
Warner took down Deepak Chahar in the fifth by picking his slower delivery over the square fence and then carting his low full toss and bouncer for boundaries. Shaw too got going with a hat-trick of boundaries against Mustafizur Rahman in the last over of the powerplay, helping the side to 62 for no loss – their best score in the powerplay this season.
Even when the field restrictions eased, the duo continued their attack, especially against Ravindra Jadeja, smashing the left arm spinner for 24 runs in his first two overs. By the ninth over, Warner even brought up his 62nd IPL half-century with a flick towards mid wicket. By the end of the ninth over, DC were well placed on 91 for no loss.
Prithvi Shaw made 106 runs in eight innings in IPL 2023, at an average of 13.25. When he didn’t begin the season, you wondered if the Delhi Capitals were looking beyond him already. Turns out they weren’t. Coming in for local boy Ricky Bhui and slotting in at the top of the order, Shaw laid the foundation with a 93-run opening stand in 9.3 overs with David Warner.
All the trademark elements of a Shaw innings were on display: sumptuous driving, fierce cuts and delectable wristwork. Warner was more muscle, but he also had a tantalizing effect with his leg-side strokeplay. When he brought up his half-century off just 32 balls, Capitals were flying.
Matheesha Pathirana makes a splash to give CSK control
In attempting to force Prithvi Shaw away from his arc led to a couple of wides in Matheesha Pathirana’s first over, but amidst the carnage around, he still bowled an impressive first over. However, the changing moment of the innings came when he plucked a stunning, one-handed diving catch at short third to dismiss Warner, whose reverse scoop proved counter-productive. In the 15th over, after being pulled for a boundary, he cleaned up Mitchell Marsh and Tristan Stubbs in a space of three balls with fast yorkers.
In the four overs separating the two efforts of Pathirana was Shaw’s dismissal when he was caught behind while attempting to cut Jadeja, making MS Dhoni the first wicketkeeper to bag 300 catches in T20s.
Tushar Deshpande and Chahar bowled a couple of tight overs even as Jadeja continued to be attacked. By the end of Pathirana’s second over, DC were reduced to 134 for 4. In the process, CSK had seized the momentum back courtesy the Sri Lankan’s brilliance with the ball and in the field and it left the with a new batter along with Rishabh Pant, who himself was struggling for timing.
You didn’t know until last week if Matheesha Pathirana would feature in the tournament at all. But in taking a blinder at short third in the 10th over, leaping full-stretch and pulling off a one-handed stunner while airborne, he put to rest any concerns over his back. Warner saw his jaw-drop in disbelief at the athleticism, and had to drag himself off. Pathirana was only warming up.
His second act was even more sensational, even though it’s something we’ve come to expect. A ball after being dismissed for six in the 15th over, he splayed Mitchell Marsh’s middle stump with a pinpoint yorker. Two balls later, he had Tristan Stubbs with another toe-crusher. Capitals were fast ceding momentum, and by the end of that over had slipped to 134 for 4.
Rishabh Pant counterattacks and carries DC to 191 for 5.
Till the end of the 17th over, Pant barely managed to get a clear connection on the ball. A couple of boundaries notwithstanding, he was still moving along at run-a-ball 23. And then, suddenly he found his old mojo back. He first pulled Mustafizur’s short delivery for a boundary and a few balls later, he brought out the one-handed flick to hit a full delivery for a six.
He continued the assault against Pathirana in the next over, taking the bowler apart for a six and two boundaries off successive deliveries before he toe-ended a yorker for the long off fielder to take a fine catch. Nonetheless, he late attack not only helped him register his first fifty on return to IPL but also took DC to a commanding 191 for 5.
The early part of Pant’s innings seemed like a struggle. He kept losing his shape when balls were dug into the pitch on a length. At 23 off 23, the frustration seemed all too evident. But he backed himself to emerge from the rut, and when he did, it was breathtaking.
He took down Mustafizur Rahman first and Pathirana next, peppering the long-on boundary with his strong bottom hand and the shovel he’s known for. When he sliced Pathirana in the same over to the point boundary, he’d brought up a 31-ball half-century. A 19th over that went for 17 helped give Capitals momentum to finish on 191 for 5.
Khaleel Ahmed’s stunning spell pegs back CSK start.
A fine spell of swing bowling by Khaleel Ahmed, in helpful conditions, helped Delhi Capitals snap two early wickets. There was also some seam movement and spongy bounce which helped DC’s new ball pair. Ruturaj Gaikwad got a faint edge to the ‘keeper in the first over, and Rachin Ravindra – who struggled through his 12 ball stay – was snapped in the third, top-edging a swipe to mid off. The left-arm pacer conceded only nine runs in his three-over spell in the powerplay and CSK were restricted to 32 for 2.
3-0-9-2.The left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed left Super Kings in a rut right at the top. Ruturaj Gaikwad was taken out by late seam movement back in. Rachin Ravindra holed out to mid-on, frustrated by his inability to put bat on ball. Khaleel Ahmed’s first 12 balls brought three runs.
Daryl Mitchell and Ajinkya Rahane treaded cautiously, seemingly to try and bat deep. Occasionally, they played shots that delighted the purist. Like a flicked six by Rahane off Rasikh Salam. The pair revived the innings with a 68-run stand, but the asking rate had swelled to 11.70 with 10 overs remaining.
Capitals didn’t have Kuldeep Yadav due to a niggle. Axar Patel had a job to do. And he broke the partnership by having Mitchell caught and bowled. He could have had Impact Sub Shivam Dube third ball as he tried to hack one over cow corner, but the bottom edge was put down by Pant.
CSK fight back but DC remain in control
Daryl Mitchell and Ajinkya Rahane helped CSK dig themselves out of a troubled situation with a 68-run partnership in 45 balls. They both were slow to get going in the face of the rising required rate, but clubbed a six each of Rasikh Salam in the 10th over to give hopes of turning the momentum. However, a mistimed loft off Axar Patel in the next over, ended Mitchell’s stay.
Rahane looked to continue CSK’s recovery in the company of Shivam Dube, but with the latter struggling to middle his attempted big shots, DC retained the control. In the 14th over, Mukesh Kumar snapped the wicket of Rahane and Sameer Rizvi in quick succession to further dent CSK’s charge.
Dhoni, Jadeja attempt late fight but to no avail as Mukesh Kumar bowls a superb spell to guide DC to win.
Mukesh returned to bowl his second over and had Dube flat batting a slower ball straight to the long off fielder. With 72 needed off 23 balls when Dhoni walked out to bat, the task was too stiff for CSK. Nonetheless, a flurry of boundaries by Dhoni, who was returning to competitive batting after nearly a year, and Jadeja, brought the equation down to 46 off the last two overs.
That’s when Mukesh bowled the decisive over which sealed the fate of the contest. For a long time, DC bowlers had maintained the wide line outside the offstump towards the longer part of the boundary. Mukesh kept it full and wide and conceded only five runs in the penultimate over, ending CSK’s hopes. For a second game in a row, Anrich Nortje had a forgettable final over, this time conceding two sixes and two boundaries, but despite Dhoni’s late flourish 16-ball 37* – CSK fell 20 runs short of DC’s total.
Presentations and Road Ahead.
Ruturaj Gaikwad the loosing skipper said :
“I think I was pretty much happy with the way they (bowlers) came back after the start (powerplay). Restricting them to 191 was a good effort. The pitch was on the better side in the first innings. Second innings there was extra seam movement and spongy bounce,”
“I felt he (Rachin) was missing it by a big margin. We couldn’t get going in the first three overs and that was the difference. At the halfway stage it was getable. There was extra seam movement and we couldn’t capitalize and we were always behind. We didn’t get the big over to reduce the run rate. Not really (if an extra bowler in the line up with help in powerplay). Deepak is always used to bowling 3 overs,”
“Even though the first four overs were good, the last two overs were expensive. After two good games you can expect the third game to go below par and that’s nothing to worry about. Just two or three hits here and there, in the field if we had stopped one or two boundaries it could have been different,”
Rishabh Pant the winning skipper said :
“Bowlers have been clinical today. We’ve learnt from our mistake. He’s been working hard from last two weeks (Shaw). We thought it’s time to give him a chance and he flourished. It will depend on match to match, but if Mukesh can bowl at the death it’ll be great,”
“As a cricketer I’ve to give my 100 percent. Took some time initially as I haven’t played much cricket in the last 1.5 years. This is something I’ve depended my life on. Always had the self-belief that whatever happens, it’s important to come back to the ground,”
Khaleel Ahmed Player of the Match for his super spell said :
“Have worked hard in the domestic season. Played a lot of matches in the last six months which has helped me know my game better. Love it when the ball swings and the batters get beaten. Have tried to figure out how I can keep myself fit. Red-ball game teaches you a lot about how the ball is coming out of the hand. Ultimate goal is to play for India,”
Phew that was some hitting from Dhoni towards the end to send the crowd into a frenzy. The game was long gone though. Barring the last couple of overs where Dhoni smacked it around, the Capitals were brilliant with the execution of their plans. The target of 192 looked achievable at the halfway stage on a good pitch and short boundaries.
However, it didn’t take long for Khaleel Ahmed to turn that narrative around with a brilliant opening spell that got rid of both the in-form openers. It wasn’t just the dismissals, but the hold he had on someone like Rachin that really said a lot about how well he bowled. Rachin, who has been on fire so far in this tournament, couldn’t get bat to ball for more than half of the 12 deliveries he faced, eventually getting caught for 2.
CSK did get going with a partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell, but they were never allowed to break free. Axar Patel played a key role in those middle overs as he slipped in 3 miserly overs before Dube came to the middle. And when he did, the Capitals switched to the plan of bowling wide Yorkers and cutters, assigning that role to the experience of Ishant, Nortje and Mukesh.
They did the job asked of them, and the result was that Dube labored to 18 off 17 balls with the rate going out of control. It was a night where Capitals executed a lot of their plans brilliantly to register their first win of the season over a dangerous team with so much batting depth. Shaw scoring runs, Pant finding some form, Pathirana showing his quality, Khaleel making the ball talk, and Dhoni whacking it everywhere, That was a cracking game in Vizag with lots to talk about.