Navi Mumbai, May 8: Devon Conway’s blazing blade and Moeen Ali’s effective off-breaks beautifully complemented each other as Chennai Super Kings outclassed Delhi Capitals in every department of the game, winning their IPL match by a comprehensive 91-run margin.
Put in to bat, Conway completed a hat-trick of half-centuries with a superb 87 off 49 balls to set up a winning score of 208 for 6 in 20 overs.
The scoreboard pressure was always mounting on the Capitals as they finally managed 117 in 17.4 overs with Moeen (3/13 in 4 overs) taking the wickets of Mitchell Marsh (25 off 20 balls) and skipper Rishabh Pant (21 off 11 balls) in quick succession to finish the contest.
Mukesh Choudhary (2/22 in 4 overs), Simarjeet Singh (2/27 in 4 overs) and Dwayne Bravo (2/24 in 2.3 overs) then completed the formalities as CSK are now up to eight points from 11 games and can earn a maximum of 14 points if they win their remaining three games, which unfortunately doesn’t look like being enough for play-off qualification.
Delhi Capitals remain fifth with 10 points and will now need to win all three remaining games and also expect a few other results to favour them if they harbour any hopes of qualification.
There wasn’t a semblance of fight in Capitals’ chase. Pant was dismissed while trying to play against the turn while Marsh was holed out in the deep. By the time Rovman Powell was gone, the match was as good as over.
Conway hit seven fours and five sixes and also added 110 for the opening wicket with Ruturaj Gaikwad (41 off 33 balls) to lay the foundation for a big score.
Conway added another 59 runs for the second wicket with Shivam Dube (32 off 19 balls) before MS Dhoni (21 no off 8 balls) added insult to DC’s injuries at the fag end.
The South Africa-born New Zealander has been one of the key players for an ageing CSK side in transition.
Whether CSK make it to play-off this time or not, Conway in all likelihood will be serving the franchise for the next five years at least.
Kuldeep Yadav’s (3-0-43-0) length was completely in disarray as Conway repeatedly came down the ground to loft his deliveries.
Conway’s third consecutive fifty came off 27 balls as Kuldeep had no clue as to what had hit him. (PTI)
