Delhi Capitals (DC) started their VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a 7-wicket victory against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw’s entertaining knocks at the top helped DC chase down a challenging total with ease.

Although DC were without the services of their core overseas players like Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, they played some strong backups, with Tom Curran and Chris Woakes making their respective debuts for DC. 

Chasing a challenging target of 189, DC needed an aggressive start from their openers and the pair of Dhawan and Shaw did just that.

The runs came in very quickly and came off to good cricketing shots. While Dhawan took on Sam Curran from one end, Shaw smacked Shardul Thakur for three boundaries in a row.

Shaw was picking gaps for fun, his timing and execution was class apart as DC raced off to a total of 65 for no loss at the end of powerplay, putting pressure on the CSK bowling line-up.

CSK skipper MS Dhoni introduced spin into the attack to put an end to the opening partnership and it nearly provided them a breakthrough but Shaw got a life in the eighth over after he was dropped in the outfield off Moeen Ali’s bowling.

Shaw continued the demolition while Dhawan, on the other end, kept the runs flowing, timing the ball to perfection as the DC openers brought their respective half centuries in no time.

DC maintained their run-rate at the end of the 12 overs and the manner in which Dhawan and Shaw were striking the ball, they wanted to finish the game in a hurry.

It was Dwayne Bravo, who provided the breakthrough for the Chennai Super Kings after Shaw mistimed a wide delivery straight to Moeen Ali in the deep. Hammering 72 off 38 deliveries, the right-hander did his bit to put DC in command.

Rishabh Pant, who was captaining for the first time in the IPL joined the party after slicing a four to a short and wide delivery bowled by Deepak Chahar, who conceded 12 runs in his last over. 

Meanwhile, Dhawan continued playing with the lines of the bowlers and was simply striking the ball in the gaps. However, after smashing Shardul Thakur for two consecutive fours in the 17th over, he was trapped in front, bringing an end to a thoroughly entertaining innings.

Pant, though, stayed till the end and finished the chase in style, whipping away the fourth ball of the 19th for a four.

Earlier, CSK, who were put in to bat, lost both their openers – Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad – early. While Avesh Khan dismissed du Plessis, making the most of his pace and the Wankhede surface, Gaikwad failed to make a mark after getting caught at first slip, courtesy a sharp catch from Dhawan, providing Woakes his first wicket of the match.

Suresh Raina marked his return to the CSK side, joining Moeen Ali at the other end, after CSK found themselves in early trouble.

Moeen counter-attacked the pace of Avesh, smashing the seamer for a couple of boundaries. The fifth over saw Raina hitting consecutive fours off R Ashwin, including a trademark inside-out shot before CSK moved 33/2 at the end of powerplay.

With the scoring-rate stuck at 6, Moeen clobbered two sixes off Ashwin in the ninth over, but the right-arm spinner eventually got his man after Moeen tried getting a little too cheeky and ended up playing it into the hands of Dhawan, who took a sharp running catch.

At the halfway mark, CSK were placed at 71/3, with Raina and Ambati Rayudu out in the middle, looking to up the ante.

Raina smacked two sixes against Amit Mishra, who was bowling beautifully before the left-hander launched his googlies into the orbit with a slog sweep over deep mid-wicket.

The duo of Raina and Rayudu brought up their fifty-partnership off just 24 deliveries, leading the way through for CSK. Raina got to his fifty in style, smashing a half volley for a maximum and with it, became the first batsman to score a fifty of the season.

Tom Curran helped DC pull the things back after getting the crucial wicket of Rayudu as Dhawan safely grabbed yet another catch in the innings. Ravindra Jadeja joined Raina out in the middle and struck two boundaries on the first two deliveries that he faced.

With five overs to go, DC managed to get the all-important wicket of the dangerous-looking Raina, after the left-hander was involved in a mix-up with Jadeja, eventually running himself out.

Adding to the worries of CSK, skipper MS Dhoni got out on the second delivery that he faced, providing Avesh his second wicket.

CSK reached the 150-mark at the end of 17 overs, hoping to finish on a high note. Avesh bowled beautifully at the death, ending with figures of 2-23 off his four overs.

Sam Curran clubbed two sixes and a four in the penultimate over and it was his brother, Tom at the receiving end.

Curran and Jadeja brought up the fifty-run stand, powering CSK to a comprehensive total before Woakes hit the timber on the last ball of the innings.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 190/3 (Shikhar Dhawan 85, Prithvi Shaw 72, Shardul Thakur 2-53) beat Chennai Super Kings 188/7 (Suresh Raina 54, Moeen Ali 36, Chris Woakes 2/18) by 7 wickets