IPL 2021- DC vs CSK - Hetmyer's 28* helps Delhi beat Chennai by 3 wickets, take pole position
Axar-Hetmyer lead Delhi to top of the points table, Dhoni's slow innings cost CSK
Delhi Capitals 139/7 (Dhawan 39, Hetmyer 28*, Thakur 2-13) beat Chennai Super Kings 136/5 (Rayudu 55, Axar 2-18) by three wickets
The 50th match of the 14th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was played between the two most successful sides this season - Delhi Capitals (DC) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
CSK made three changes
Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant won the toss and sent their opponents in to bat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Chennai Super Kings made three changes in their eleven from the last match by excluding Sam Curran, KM Asif and Suresh Raina to get Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar and Robin Uthappa in the side.
CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said at the toss that their batting mainstay Raina has some back issues so he is excluded from the team to get some rest, while it will be the debut match for IPL veteran Robin Uthappa with CSK, who has scored over 4,000 runs in IPL.
As the pace arsenal of Delhi Capitals are known for fearsome bowling spells, fans were expecting gripping battles between Delhiās intimidating pacers and the successful opening pair of Chennai - Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Delhi Pacers broke the wall of CSK openers in powerplay
The fastest pacer in IPL, Anrich Nortje, took the new ball for Delhi to bowl a riveting first over of the innings which cost 16 runs. On the second ball of the over, Ruturaj Gaikwad was given out by the umpire on an appeal for LBW, only to be overturned by the third umpire through Decision Review System (DRS).
In reply, Gaikwad hammered two boundaries to complete the first over of the innings. Also, Du Plessis struck two boundaries in the next over by Avesh Khan.
However, first bowling change by Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant succeeded instantly, as left-arm spinner Axar Patel bagged the wicket of Du Plessis, to break one of the most successful opening pairs in this season of IPL.
Du Plessis was trying to pull a slightly short ball, but miscued it and was caught by Shreyas Gopal at deep mid-wicket.
Ambati Rayudu rebuilds innings for CSK
Uthappa came to bat at one down, but Gaikwad returned to the pavilion while trying to attempt a pull shot to a high bouncer by Nortje, only to be caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at mid-wicket.
As England all-rounder Moeen Ali joined Uthappa in the middle, Delhi skipper Pant brought Ashwin to bowl alongside Axar Patel. Ali played a half-hearted flick in the air off Patel to deep mid-wicket and wa