Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals, 18th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentaryCSK vs DC, 18th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

CSK jump one place, leaving the dreaded last place to move to 9th ahead of KKR who are bottom. That is one of the many reasons CSK will be happy and delighted with. Two successive losses for DC meanwhile and it's time for them to regroup. It's time to bring the curtains down on this Saturday's double-header. Tomorrow we have another double-header. Do join us then. Time to escape. Bye bye.

Sanju Samson | Player of the Match: (on his hundred) "Yeah, really means a lot, I think. To be very honest. I think the trust they showed in me, I think having that trade, I think it was very responsible kind of a feeling that I need to put in a show. I need to stand up and say, okay, we are still in the tournament. And luckily everything came off very nicely, I think. As you rightly said, it's not easy to start off the tournament like this in a different franchise, but it never felt like it's a different franchise. I think it's like coming to another home. I think people are so sweet, so nice. And everyone is so calm and relaxed. Even losing three games in a row, we just had a meeting of 50 seconds today. I think that shows how relaxed the franchise is and that really connects with the person I am. So I think very happy to be here. (on going back to basics again) To be honest, I think I have failed a lot. So failing a lot tells you how you need to come back. I think so failing a lot definitely mentally you think about, okay, do you need to go a bit hard or do you need to change your gameplan. So mind gets a bit here and there. So I think you need to bring your mind and body to the basics. So I think I am 31 years old and I've spent a lot of time in this sport. So I need to know what my basics are. So I think basics are to get in mentally in a different zone and also physically do your basics right. I think as a batsman you also know, that we need to come back to timing the ball. Just looking the ball coming out of nicely from the bowler's hand, so all those things. So we did some really good sessions day before with our supporting staff and very happy things have come nicely today. (on his partnership with Ayush Mhatre) Yeah, absolutely. I think it's very important to have a really great partnership in this format. So Ayush, it never looked like he's just coming out of under-19. He's showed so much maturity. I think he was hitting those sixes. Also calculative. So that shows the amount of character and clarity he has in his batting. So really happy. (on his hundred celebration) Yeah, that was I think for Fleming. I think I know that how hard it can get. I think leading a franchise from last five years, I know that how mentally challenging it can be. So I think I just wanted to dedicate this to our coach Fleming."

Ruturaj Gaikwad | CSK captain: "Yes, obviously, feels good to finally get that win and to come here and speak to you. But I think it was great performance to start with. I always felt that coming here, we have been batting really well, batting first and to post 200-210 when the wicket is slightly on the slower side and still posting that good total, I think we were showing really good signs even the last game which we played here. But as I said, today again it was one of those knocks where Sanju actually took to the opposition, played a magnificent knock, even Ayush played brilliantly. But it was about bowling today. It was about wickets in the middle or bowling that aggressive lengths and sticking to your plans, keep it really simple. So, really proud of the bowling effort. (happy with the bowling effort?) Well, definitely we don't have that X-factor in our bowling lineup, but as we have been discussing every game, how we can be effective, how we can be proactive and how we can save that extra boundary. But being attacking as well, you may have defensive fields, but you try and be attacking, try and use your lengths really well. That's what you can do at your best. And I think even the last few games, we were almost there, it's just that one or two odd overs that really went big, over 20 or 25 that really cost us. So I think today, as I said, bowling-wise, we were right on the mark. Yes, we were set on the back foot in the powerplay, but I think after that, we came back really well. (on the crowd support) Yes, Chennai fans, they are always there behind us no matter what. I've been receiving so many messages, so many good wishes, wherever we go, they are always backing us. They are always supporting us. And that's what this side of the country it is. It is just about lovely people just enjoying the cricket and loving the franchise."

Jamie Overton: "Yeah, very happy. Just finally get a win in front of our home crowd. It’s great playing here and, yeah, nice to give them the win. Yeah, it’s been really good. For a couple of games it hasn’t quite gone my way, obviously one over against Timmy David last week, just sort of ruined my figures a little bit, but these things happen in T20 cricket. But yeah, it’s been feeling good since probably December time in the Big Bash. I’ve been bowling some good gas and just trying to keep it going, really. I’m just trying to bend my back and hopefully get a few wickets. (key on that surface) I think it was just trying to hit the top of the stumps. I felt like it was a little bit tacky, some felt like it slid through, and then the next one sort of jumped up a little bit. So it was just trying to bring them forward and trying to reduce their cross-batted shots a little bit. (on his side) Yeah, it’s fine. It's just a bit of cramp. It was quite hot out there for me. But yeah, I'll be fine."

Axar Patel | DC captain (translated from Hindi): I think we got off to a good start, but if we talk about the chase, after the powerplay we lost two or three wickets in quick succession, which broke the momentum. I feel the difference in fielding was the game-changing moment for me. Wickets kept falling in clusters, and that led to a drop in momentum. I think the batsmen did a decent job, but overall our fielding let us down. (on the chase) I would like to credit the bowlers, they did a very good job restricting the opposition to around 215-217 even after their batsmen were set and just 2-3 wickets fell. It was a very good batting wicket. But as I said, if we hadn’t dropped one or two catches in the field, the result could have been different. (did the pitch slow down?) No, nothing really changed. I think it was tougher for them, maybe because of the dew and they bowled pretty well.

Stats by Shashikant Singh

Most games for 1st win by CSK in a season
5 in 2022
4 in 2026

Teams to all-out opponents most times
40 - MI
28 - RCB
26 - CSK*
25 - KKR
22 - SRH

This is the 31st instance of all-out for DC - the most by any team in IPL.

This is the first win for CSK at Chepauk after losing six successive IPL matches.

23:31 Local Time, 18:01 GMT, 23:31 IST: Celebrations all over Chennai and wherever CSK's supporters are. They must be jumping up and down with joy. 6 defeats in a row at Chepauk and they have broken that streak too. Something to cheer for CSK as they get their first points. Samson's 100 set it up and then the bowlers did well. The fast bowlers used the hard lengths to perfection especially Anshul Kamboj and Jamie Overton. The latter with a four-fer as he used the cross-seamers and pounded the pitch. Nissanka looked very dangerous at the top but Kamboj got him and then Stubbs threatened to pull of an unlikely win but he was denied a glove-change when his hands were wet. Was it the turning point? DC certainly weren't happy with that call from the fourth ump. Soon after, Stubbs miscued one and the game was over after that. CSK with Brevis took their catches and Gurjapneet was very impressive as he hurried the batters with his pace. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...

Anshul Kamboj to Lungi Ngidi, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Now AK over the wicket.

A free-hit coming up for Lungi Ngidi.

Four-wicket hauls for CSK vs DC
4/12 - Imran Tahir, Chennai, 2019
4/18 - Jamie Overton, Chennai, 2026*
4/24 - Shadab Jakati, Jo’burg, 2009