 "IPL 2023, CSK vs DC: Chennai Super Kings faces resurgent Delhi Capitals in push for playoffs berth")
synopsis
IPL 2023: Chennai Super Kings hosts Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. The race for the playoffs is still on. While CSK is nearly there, DC is still pushing for it as the two sides clash in an intense battle.
Former four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) enters the final lap of the ongoing Indian Premier League's (IPL) preliminary phase, looking to beat back the challenge of a resurgent Delhi Capitals (DC) at the MA Chidambaram (Chepauk) Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday and get closer to a playoffs berth.
CSK returned to winning ways with a convincing victory over arch-rival and former record five-time champion Mumbai Indians (MI) -- a bogey team at their fortress Chepauk -- and would be hoping to pick up two more points against the Capitals, who have struggled in the tournament for the most part. The Super Kings trumped MI in a low-scoring game last Saturday, with the bowlers, Matheesha Pathirana in particular, doing a good job restricting the opposition. The chase was wrapped up without much ado, with contributions from Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway and Shivam Dube.
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While the top-order batters (Conway 457 runs, Gaikwad 292 runs and Ajinkya Rahane (245 runs) have been doing a great job, the middle-order has yet to fire as much as the think-tank would have hoped for. The experienced Ambati Rayudu (95 runs in 11 games) and Ravindra Jadeja (92 in 11 games) have yet to get going, making for a floundering middle-order. Skipper MS Dhoni has managed the cameos expected of him whenever he has got in.
The team hopes the middle order is not tested in a crunch game. Dhoni and the CSK fans will pray for the likes of Rayudu, Moeen Ali and Jadeja to rise to the occasion when it matters the most. The big-hitting Shivam Dube has collected 290 runs (from nine innings) and will be eyeing more extensive contributions in crucial games.
With 19 wickets so far, Tushar Deshpande has done a fine job, but his economy rate of 10.33 and giving away runs at crucial junctures have sometimes hurt CSK. The captain would like him to be more thrifty with the ball. Jadeja, as always, has struck critical blows, while slinger Pathirana will be keen to continue the excellent run, like against MI.
Pathirana will be one bowler the Capitals, including the aggressive Phil Salt, who shone in the team's last game, would be wary of. The DC batters have underperformed, but Salt has expressed confidence that they can turn it around in the remaining games. Skipper David Warner has not been his usual ebullient self, and the batting line-up, including Mitchell Marsh and Rovman Powell, has flattered to deceive. As the season winds down, DC managed to keep their chances alive by winning four of their last five matches.
Whether the team can sneak into the top four remains to be seen. It must perform very well to surprise CSK in their den, which is easier said than done. For that, the DC batters need to come to grips with the spin challenge expected by CSK, and the bowling department needs to find ways to contain the methodical Conway and Gaikwad before dealing with the others. Veteran Ishant Sharma, who has rediscovered his mojo, is one to watch out for apart from pacer Anrich Nortje, Marsh and the slow bowlers -- Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.
Squads:
CSK: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Akash Singh, Moeen Ali, Bhagath Varma, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Sisanda Magala, Ajay Mandal, Matheesha Pathirana, Dwaine Pretorius, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Ambati Rayudu, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Ben Stokes and Maheesh Theekshana.
DC: David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, Sarfaraz Khan, Aman Hakim Khan, Abhishek Porel (wk), Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Rovman Powell, Rilee Rossouw, Anrich Nortje, Mustafizur Rahaman, Chetan Sakariya, Mukesh Kumar, Phil Salt, Lungi Ngidi, Praveen Dubey, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Vicky Ostwal, Ishant Sharma, Manish Pandey, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Yash Dhull.
Match details
Date and day: May 10, 2023 (Wednesday)
Venue: MA Chidambaram (Chepauk) Stadium, Chennai
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): JioCinema
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