In an otherwise batter-dominated game, bowling performances in T20s are as good as the pitch.
This was proved on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, when Chennai Super Kings batters could not go full throttle as Delhi Capitals bowlers put a noose around them.
CSK got off to a decent start -- they lost opener Devon Conway, trapped by Axar Patel in the 5th over, and at the end of the Powerplay overs the score read 49 for 1.
DC spinners then quickly had CSK on the backfoot with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali and Ajinkya Rahane falling in the space of 6 overs, the scorecard reading 82 for 4.
In the next five overs, 53 runs were scored with the fall of Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu. CSK were struggling and only Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 20 run cameo took his side to 167 for 8.
Delhi's chase was torn down by an exhibition of good bowling and fielding.
If Deepak Chahar broke DC's spirit with David Warne and Phil Salt's wickets inside three overs, Ajinkya Rahane's wonderful presence of mind had Mitchell Marsh run out for 5.
Although Riley Rossouw and Manish Pandey rallied DC with a 59 run fourth wicket stand, the lack of big hits to the boundary was proof of CSK's spot on bowling.
Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali gave nothing away, the latter bowled a stingy spell finishing with 0 for 16 in his four overs.
Impact Sub Matheesha Pathirana then banged the final nails in DC's coffin.
The Slinga from Lanka first broke the Pandey-Rossouw partnership in the 13th over and then ended Axar's fine cameo of 21 off 12 balls. His 3 for 37 helped CSK win by 27 runs.
Rahane's contribution can't go unnoticed, taking the catches of Warner and Axar and effecting that brilliant run-out of Marsh -- dismissals that put the game out of DC's reach.
