Powerplay (Overs 1-6)           
DC - 51/1 (8.5 rpo, 5x4, 2x6) || CSK- 46/3 (7.66 rpo, 4x4, 0x6)

Middle Overs (Overs 7-15)
DC - 87/2 (9.67 rpo, 7x4, 4x6) || CSK- 60/2 (6.66 rpo, 3x4, 1x6)

Death Overs (Overs 16-20)
DC - 45/3 (7.5 rpo, 3x4, 1x6) ||  CSK- 52/0 (10.4 rpo, 2x4, 2x6)
 

Delhi Capitals continued their strong form in IPL 2025 with a solid 25-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in a high-profile afternoon clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Opting to bat first, DC posted a competitive total of 183/6, thanks to a fluent 77 from KL Rahul and a late flourish from Tristan Stubbs, who remained unbeaten on 24 off 12 balls. Abishek Porel and Axar Patel chipped in with handy cameos, while CSK’s spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad kept things tight in the middle overs.

In response, CSK had a sluggish start, losing three wickets inside the Powerplay. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad stood tall with a gritty 54, and Vijay Shankar (69*) tried to steady the innings, but the chase never really gained momentum. MS Dhoni’s late 30* entertained the crowd but came too late to alter the result.

Vipraj Nigam starred with the ball for Delhi, taking 2 for 27, including key wickets of Conway and Dube. Kuldeep Yadav and Mitchell Starc kept things under control as CSK ended on 158/5.


 

Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK Captain):
"The last few games just haven't gone our way. We're putting in the effort, trying to improve every day, but things aren't clicking. Losing too many wickets early has hurt us, and it’s been a major concern — both with the bat and the ball in the powerplay. We’re either conceding 15-20 extra runs or collapsing with the bat.

I feel we’re being a bit overcautious in those early overs — our bowlers are tentative, and batters perhaps a little too mindful of not losing wickets. It’s about finding that balance between intent and composure. Right now, it feels like we're reacting rather than setting the tone.

Since the powerplay, we were always behind the game — playing catch-up. Once we lost early wickets, we only had one recognized batter left. Credit to DC; they bowled smartly and read the conditions better. Even with Shivam (Dube) at the crease, we were searching for momentum but couldn’t quite find it. As a unit, we need to come together, take initiative, and make things happen."
 

Axar Patel (DC Captain):
"To be honest, I didn’t expect things to look this smooth — winning three in a row feels great, especially when everyone is contributing and the team looks well-balanced. As a captain, it’s satisfying, but I still feel we haven’t played that perfect game yet.

I didn’t bowl much today — part of it was strategic, part of it because of a finger niggle. In every match, we’ve seen some brilliant fielding efforts and a few dropped chances too — that’s part of the game.

The IPL is a long tournament. Momentum can shift at any moment, so it’s important to stay grounded and keep doing the right things."
 

KL Rahul | Player of the Match:
"I'm quite used to adapting now. Before the IPL began, I was prepping to open the innings, but once I got here, the coach asked me to bat at No. 4 and I was okay with it. It’s more of a mental adjustment — getting into a rhythm and being used to walking in at a particular time.

When you move up and down the order, it can feel a bit unsettled at first. It takes a few balls to find that comfort, but once you’re in, it's just bat vs ball again. I've been working on starting positively from ball one.

Felt good to open today. I began well, got a little scratchy in the middle, but key partnerships — especially with Porel and Axar — helped. Porel’s quick 20-25 really gave us momentum, that’s how T20s go now. Once I got past the halfway mark, I knew I had to accelerate and looked to target specific bowlers and the shorter boundaries.

Towards the end, the heat got to me a bit — I probably left 15-20 runs out there. Something to learn and manage better next time."