IPL 2021, Match 2 CSK vs DC: Shaw, Dhawan dominate as DC beat CSK in their campaign opener
CSK vs DC: Openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan were absolutely brilliant for Delhi Capitals (DC) in their first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 this Saturday (April 10) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Both Shaw and Dhawan batted magnificently through their stand of 138 runs, allowing DC to dominate the run-chase against CSK on a flat Wankhede track in Mumbai and come out victorious in their IPL 2021 campaign opener.
Shaw was the more explosive of the two, while Dhawan shifted gears occasionally. He played a superlative knock of 72 runs off just 38 deliveries, including 9 fours and 3 sixes. Shaw looked in prime touch after resurrecting his technical flaws and was set for a higher individual score until dismissed by CSK paceman Dwayne Bravo.
Dhawan, however, continued to keep the CSK attack at bay from the other end and finished with a well-made 85 off 54 balls, missing out on a hundred after playing around a yorker from Shardul Thakur and being dismissed LBW.
Dhawan’s knock, which only reflected his constant improvement as a T20 batter, saw him blaze his willow to all parts of the ground and included 10 fours and 2 sixes.
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CSK vs DC: Shaw, Dhawan dominate as DC beat CSK in their IPL 2021 campaign opener
None of the CSK bowlers could stop the flow of runs after Shaw and Dhawan started to get going. Once they departed, DC skipper Rishabh Pant (15*) and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis (14) gave the innings finishing touches and sealed their team’s victory by seven wickets.
For MS Dhoni led CSK, the second half of the game once again exposed their longstanding bowling issues. Only Bravo (1/28) finished with figures with a sense of respectability, while the rest went for plenty and at no stage managed to keep a leash on run-scoring.
Earlier in the match, DC won the toss and opted to chase considering the surface and the ground’s boundary dimensions. The team did a decent job of keeping CSK below the 200-run mark despite missing their first-choice quicks Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, who remain in quarantine.
Chris Woakes (2/23) and Tom Curran (1/40) replaced the two overseas fast-bowlers and made their DC debuts. Woakes was terrific with the new ball and dismissed CSK’s opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (5). And though a poor final over spoilt Curran’s figures to an extent, he also proved quite effective in the earlier part of the innings.
DC’s renowned spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (1/47) and Amit Mishra (0/27) were expensive on the night, but with help from stand-out spells by Woakes and also Indian paceman Avesh Khan (2/23), the team ensured CSK don’t run away with the fixture in the first half.
Comeback man Suresh Raina was the top run-getter for CSK after a superlative knock of 54 runs off 36 balls. Moeen Ali (36), Ravindra Jadeja (26*) and Sam Curran (34) were other handy contributors in taking CSK to a score of 188/7. But the team needed a bigger total on the board for their overall below-par bowling performance.
With a winning start and momentum behind them, Delhi Capitals (DC) will now take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their next IPL 2021 fixture on April 15 in Mumbai. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be facing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their next match on April 16.