THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHENNAI, India — Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni cracked an unbeaten 63 off only 31 balls to propel defending champion Chennai Super Kings to an 18-run win over Delhi Daredevils in the IPL on Thursday.
Dhoni smashed four sixes and five fours, adding 96 for the third wicket with Subramaniam Badrinath (55) to help Chennai score a formidable 176-4.
Delhi, without regular captain and opener Virender Sehwag due to a shoulder injury, could manage only 158-6.
The win lifted Chennai to IPL co-leader with Mumbai Indians, which has played one game less. Delhi was out of contention for the playoffs.
Dhoni, who has increased the run-rate often in this tournament, stepped on the pedal straight away to justify his decision to bat first.
The World Cup-winning skipper struck Ajit Agarkar for a four off the second ball he faced and pace bowler Andrew McDonald for a straight six off the fifth to send Delhi into disarray.
He hit another six off Agarkar, then his final two sixes off the last two deliveries of the innings bowled by Irfan Pathan, whose last over went for 17 runs.
Dhoni’s partner Badrinath was run out in the last over, but only after playing the support role to perfection, hitting a six and six fours off 43 deliveries.
"We’ve not got beaten in the last few games (but that) does not mean we can’t lose," Dhoni said. "If any team can play better than us on a particular day, they can win."
Earlier, opener Murali Vijay survived two chances off consecutive deliveries in his 20s but perished on 35, caught to a well-judged catch on the square-leg boundary by Venugopal Rao off Agarkar.
For Delhi, upcoming paceman Varun Aaron was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 1-20 in his four overs.
Aaron, who worked up an unsettling pace, was hit for only eight runs in his first three overs before conceding two boundaries in his last.
In the Delhi innings, Naman Ojha, opening in Sehwag’s absence, ensured a brisk start for Delhi with 25 off 14 balls but the tempo could not be maintained in the face of some determined bowling.
Pathan made a fighting 44 not out off 34 deliveries and Venugopal Rao scored 30 off 20 but neither could raise hopes of a win.
On Friday, new franchise Kochi Tuskers and Kings XI Punjab clash in the western city of Indore.
Scores:
Chennai Super Kings 176-4 in 20 overs (Mahendra Singh Dhoni 63 not out, Subramaniam Badrinath 55, Murali Vijay 35), def. Delhi Daredevils 158-6 in 20 overs (Irfan Pathan 44 not out, Venugopal Rao 30, Naman Ojha 25; Ravichandran Ashwin 2-19, Dwayne Bravo 2-21).