Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni feels they played a perfect game against Delhi Capitals after they won by a gargantuan margin of 91 runs at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Sunday. CSK posted a par score of 208 runs on the board after Rishabh Pant won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad continued their good form as they added 110 runs for the opening alliance with the former doing the lion’s share of the scoring. Conway scored his third fifty on the bounce whereas Gaikwad added 41 runs before he was dismissed by Anrich Nortje.
The New Zealander went on to score a fine knock of 87 runs off just 49 balls as he batted at the top of his game. The southpaw’s knock was laced with seven fours and five sixes as he scored freely against Kuldeep Yadav, who leaked 43 runs in his three overs.
Furthermore, Shivam Dube scored 32 runs after getting a reprieve from Axar Patel whereas MS Dhoni once again added the finishing touches with a fine cameo of 21 runs from eight balls.
On the other hand, Moeen Ali scalped three wickets while Simarjeet Singh, Mukesh Chaudhary, and Dwayne Bravo took two wickets apiece to skittle out Delhi Capitals at 117.
Dhoni feels Singh and Chaudhary will get better with more experience and T20 cricket is all about knowing which deliveries a bowler should not bowl.
MS Dhoni said in the post-match presentation, “It really helps. It would have been better if we would have had a win like this somewhere early. It was a perfect game. The batters did really well. It was a toss where we wanted to win and field first, but in my heart, I was fine to lose the toss. The ball stops and comes, and it behaves only after 13-14 overs. Everybody contributed a bit. Runs on the board really help, and it was important to restrict their big-hitters. Both Simarjeet and Mukesh have taken time to mature. They have the capability, the more they play, the better they’ll get at game sense.”
He went on to add, “It is ultimately about reading which is a good delivery to bowl and which is a delivery to not bowl. In T20 cricket, it is all about knowing which delivery not to bowl. I don’t like going in and hitting straightaway. But with only 12 deliveries left, if a few of us contribute with scores of 8 off 2, it helps. But scoring just 2 or 3 runs doesn’t help. I am not a big fan of maths. Even in school I wasn’t good at it. Thinking of the NRR doesn’t help. You just want to enjoy the IPL. When two other teams are playing, you don’t want to be under pressure and thinking. You just have to think about what to do in the next game. If we make the playoffs, great. But even if we don’t it’s not the end of the world.”
Chennai Super Kings will look to continue the same form to keep themselves in contention for the playoff stages. The defending champions will next take on Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday.
