IPL 2020 CSK vs DC highlights: Axar hits 5-ball 21 to win match for Delhi
Dropped on 25 and 79, apart from surviving a half chance and a run-out opportunity, Dhawan made full use of the lives given to him to raise his best IPL knock as Capitals overhauled a stiff 180-run
 "Delhi Capitals. Photo: Sportzpics for BCCI")
Delhi Capitals. Photo: Sportzpics for BCCI
In match 34 of Indian Premier League (IPL 2020), opener Shikhar Dhawan (101) hit his maiden IPL hundred after spared by the fielders a number of times, while Axar Patel pulled off three sixes in the final over as Delhi Capitals moved to the top of the table with a tense five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, at Sharjah cricket ground on Saturday.
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Dropped on 25 and 79, apart from surviving a half chance and a run-out opportunity, Dhawan made full use of the lives given to him to raise his best IPL knock as the Capitals overhauled a stiff 180-run target with one to spare.
On 99, Dhawan also got a caught-behind decision reversed, using DRS. Despite a well-set Dhawan at the crease, Sam Curran bowled an exceptional 19th over, giving away just four runs to keep CSK in hunt.
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Capitals needed 17 runs off the final over and it looked Dhawan's effort could go in vain but Axar Patel played a blinder of a knock, hitting three sixes off Ravindra Jadeja to finish off the game in style.
DC now have 14 points from nine games, one more than second-placed Mumbai Indians (12).
Dhawan took 58 balls for his unbeaten knock that was studded with 14 shots to the fence and one over it. He shifted the gears with ease as he not only worked the ball around but found boundaries consistently to keep the asking rate under control. His straight six off Curran stood out.
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After CSK pacer Deepak Chahar, who was as usual very impressive, sent back Prithvi Shaw (0) Ajinkya Rahane (8), Dhawan kept one end safe.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer (23), who hurt his shoulder in the previous game was not his usual aggressive self. The fluency with which he times the ball was missing.
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His 68-run stand with Dhawan ended when he holed one out to Du Plessis off Bravo. It was a slower ball but Iyer could have dispatched that easily into the empty stands on any other day.
CSK vs DC scorecard: Delhi Capitals innings
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Ball | Fours | Sixes |
| Prithvi Shaw | c&b Chahar | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | not out | 101 | 58 | 14 | 1 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | c Curran b Chahar | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Shreyas Iyer | c Du Plessis b Bravo | 23 | 23 | 1 | 1 |
| Marcus Stoinis | c Rayudu b Shardul | 24 | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| Alex Carey | c Du Plessis b Curran | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Axar Patel | not out | 21 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Total: 185-5 in 19.5 Overs | |||||
| Bowler | Overs | Maiden | Runs | Wickets | |
| Deepak Chahar | 4 | 1 | 18 | 2 | |
| Sam Curran | 4 | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| Shardul Thakur | 4 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 1.5 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| Karn Sharma | 3 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| Dwayne Bravo | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | |
Marcus Stoinis added 24 quick runs before being dismissed.
Earlier, Faf Du Plessis hit his fourth half-century of the season before Ambati Rayudu produced another useful cameo as a collective batting effort propelled Chennai Super Kings to 179 for four.
Du Plessis (58) added 87 runs with Shane Watson (36) after early fall of Sam Curran (0), setting it up nicely for the CSK.
Rayudu hit 45 off 25 balls while Ravindra Jadeja hit four sixes in his fiery 33-run knock. One of Jadeja's sixes landed on the road outside the stadium.
They added 50 runs in 3.3 overs during their unbeaten fifth wicket partnership.
While Watson relied on safe ground-strokes considering the sluggish track Du Plessis did not hesitate to improvise, playing a lot of scoop shots. He pulled the short ones with ease.
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Ball | Fours | Sixes |
| Sam Curran | c Nortje b Deshpande | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Faf du Plessis | c Dhawan b Rabada | 58 | 47 | 6 | 2 |
| Shane Watson | b Nortje | 36 | 28 | 6 | 0 |
| Ambati Rayudu | not out | 45 | 25 | 1 | 4 |
| MS Dhoni | c Carey b Nortje | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | not out | 33 | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| Total: 179-4 in 20 Overs | |||||
| Bowler | Overs | Maiden | Runs | Wickets | |
| Tushar Deshpande | 4 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 1 | 33 | 1 | |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Anrich Nortje | 4 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |
| R Ashwin | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| Marcus Stoinis | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
Young pacer Tushar Deshpande bowled a tight line with decent speed and was rewarded when Curran, without measuring the bowler, swung his arms but just managed a top-edge that was taken by Anrich Nortje (2/44).
The ball was stopping a bit on the slow Sharjah wicket but after four quiet overs, Du Plessis creamed off 14 runs from Nortje's first over, hitting his compatriot for a six and two fours.
Watson, using his experience, got some quick runs by placing the ball instead of going after the bowlers. His handling of the both pacers and spinners was sensible as the Australian kept the scoreboard moving.
Du Plessis completed his fifty with a single of Nortje but Watson was castled by the South African in the next ball.
The Capitals batsmen did not let off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin take advantage of the slow surface, taking easy runs off him.
Rabada sent back Du Plessis while Nortje got rid of rival skipper MS Dhoni (3) but Rayudu and Jadeja helped the side reach a competitive total.
CSK vs DC playing 11
Chennai has made one change in its playing 11 bringing in Kedar Jadhav for Piyush Chawla while Delhi Capitals is unchanged after Iyer declared fit before the match.
CSK playing 11: Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma
DC playing 11: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tushar Deshpande, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
Why Bravo does not bowl last over? Dhoni explains
DC beats CSK by 5 wickets
DC live score after 19.5 Overs: 185-5
Ravindra Jadeja [1.0-0-13-0] is back into the attack
19.5; DC WIN as Axar Patel smashes SIX
Over 19.4; Delhi Capitals need 1 run in 2 balls
Over 19.3; Delhi Capitals needs 3 runs in 3 balls
Over 19.2; Delhi Capitals needs 9 runs in 4 balls
Ball 19.1: WIDE, Delhi Capitals need 16 runs in 6 balls
DC live score after 19 Overs: 163-5; Dhawan hits 100
Sam Curran continues...
Ball 3: Dhawan collects a single.
Axar Patel, left handed bat, comes to the crease
Delhi Capitals needs 21 runs in 11 balls
Curran scalps Carey; DC 159/5 (18.1)
DC live score after 18 Overs: 159-4; Dhawan at 98
Shardul continues..
Delhi Capitals needs 30 runs in 18 balls
DC live score after 17 Overs: 150-4
Sam Curran [2.0-0-20-0] is back into the attack
DC live score after 16 Overs: 139-4; Stoinis departs
Shardul Thakur [2.0-0-20-0] is back into the attack
Alex Carey, left handed bat, comes to the crease
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First Published: Oct 17 2020 | 5:12 PM IST
