Prithvi, Shikhar shine in Delhi Capitals' 7-wicket win

MUMBAI: Brilliant opening stand by Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dawan gave Delhi Capitals 7-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings in their opening match of Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday night.

Chasing 189 runs to win, DC opening duo put on 138 runs in 13.3 overs before Prithvi got out after scoring 72 off 38 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes. Left hander Dhawan, went back in the 17th over, added 85 from 54 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes. All-rounder Marcus Stoinis scored 14 while newly appointed captain Rishav Pant remained unbeaten at 15 when his team reached the target in 18.4 overs.

Earlier, Sam Curran hammered 34 off 15 balls at the back-end of Chennai Super Kings innings, including thrashing his older brother Tom for 16 runs in three balls in the 19th over, to help the men in yellow reach 188/6 in their 20 overs.

The CSK innings was a roller-coaster as they began by losing two early wickets against a DC pace attack that missed the services of acclaimed internationals Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje (under quarantine), Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma (injury).

Faf du Plessis was out leg-before to pace bowler Avesh Khan while Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught in slips off the bowling of Chris Woakes.

Moeen Ali (36 off 24 balls) and Suresh Raina (54 off 36 balls) then resurrected the innings with a 53-run partnership for the third wicket with the former going after R Ashwin, hitting him for two successive sixes. However, Ashwin got the England left-hander out on the third ball as he went for a reverse sweep and was caught in the deep.

Raina then added 63 for the fourth wicket with Ambati Rayudu (23 off 16 balls) but a few quick wickets set CSK back. Rayudu was caught at long-off off the bowling of Tom Curran. Soon, the 16th over, bowled by Avesh, saw two important wickets.

At 143/6 after 16 overs, getting close to 190 seemed distant if not impossible. However, Curran and Jadeja took 23 runs from Tom Curran's fourth over, the innings' 19th, to help CSK get to a big total.

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 188/7 in 20 overs (S Raina 54, M Ali 36, S Curran 34, R Jadeja 26 no, C Woakes 2/18, A Khan 2/23) lost to Delhi Capitals 190/3 in 18.4 overs (Shikhar Dawan 85, Prithvi Shaw 72, Shardul Thakur 2/53). IANS

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