Matheesha Pathirana claimed figures of 3/37 as Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 27 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway got Chennai off to a steady start. The pair added 32 runs for the opening wicket before Axar Patel dismissed both Conway and Gaikwad for 10 & 24 respectively.
Kuldeep Yadav then got into the act by claiming left hander Moeen Ali, caught by Mitchell Marsh for 7. Ajinkya Rahane (21) then fell to a brilliant one handed catch by Lalit Yadav off his own bowling, leaving Chennai in a spot of bother at 77/4.
The pair of Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni featured in a crucial 38 run stand for the seventh wicket before the former perished to Mitchell Marsh for a 16 ball-21.
However the Super Kings skipper (20) provided a final flourish in the end by smashing Khaleel Ahmed for 2 sixes and a boundary to take Chennai to a competitive total of 167/8 in their 20 overs.
Chasing 168, Delhi got off to a poor start as skipper David Warner chipped a catch to Ajinkya Rahane at covers off Deepak Chahar for a duck.
Phil Salt (17) looked good for a brief while before mistiming a pull off Chahar to Rayudu at mid-on. Mitchell Marsh (5) was then run out following a horrible mix-up with Manish Pandey.
The pair of Manish along with Rilee Rossouw added 59 runs for the fourth wicket before the former was trapped leg before wicket by a magnificent yorker from Matheesha Pathirana for 27.
Axar Patel provided a glimmer of hope by scoring a 11 ball-20, before falling to Pathirana in the 18th over. The left hander’s dismissal also ended Capitals hopes.
In the end, Delhi ended up with 140/8 in their 20 overs, thereby losing the match by 27 runs.
Chennai Super Kings 167 for 8 (Dube 25, Marsh 3-18) beat Delhi Capitals 140 for 8 (Rossouw 35, Pathirana 3-37, Chahar 2-28) by 27 runs