DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Delhi Capitals hung in to beat Chennai Super Kings by three wickets in a contest between the Indian Premier League’s No. 1 and 2 teams on Monday.
No. 2 Delhi moved above Chennai on the table with a round to go in the group stage. Both teams have already qualified for the playoffs but a top-two place offers a shorter route to the Oct. 15 final.
Shimron Hetmyer, dropped on 12 in Delhi’s chase, went on to make an unbeaten 28 off 18 balls to give his side a winning 139-7 with two balls to spare.
Chennai struggled to 136-5 after Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant won the toss on his 24th birthday and opted to field first.
“Not a bad birthday present,” Pant said.
Shardul Thakur’s (2-13) twin strikes in the 15th over brought Chennai back into the game when the fast bowler clean bowled Ravichandran Ashwin and then-top-scorer Shikhar Dhawan (39) was brilliantly snapped in the covers by Moeen Ali.
Dhawan, one of three batsmen to score more than 500 runs this season, hit three fours and two sixes before chipping a catch to Ali.
Chennai wasted a good opportunity to sneak out a win when Delhi was still 22 runs behind. However, substitute fielder Krishnappa Gowtham missed a dolly catch of Hetmyer at long on when the ball burst through his hands and crossed the boundary for four.
Earlier, Axar Patel (2-18) and Ashwin (1-20) tied down Chennai despite Ambati Rayudu scoring a 43-ball knock of 54.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni couldn’t score a boundary in making 18 runs off 27 balls before edging to Pant behind the wickets in the last over.
“It’s a two-paced wicket, some balls come to you and some don’t,” Dhoni said. “It’s not a placid wicket where you can play your shots … it was a very good effort (by the bowlers), but it was important not to give away too many in the first six overs.”
Delhi beats Chennai by 3 wickets to take over IPL lead
Delhi beats Chennai by 3 wickets to take over IPL lead
- No. 2 Delhi moved above Chennai on the table with a round to go in the group stage
- Chennai wasted a good opportunity to sneak out a win when Delhi was still 22 runs behind
Alcaraz and Sabalenka set sights on Australian Open fourth round
- Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two
- Top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka return to the Australian Open battlefield on Friday with fourth round berths at stake, joined in the fight by third seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev.
Spanish world number one Alcaraz came through a tough three-set arm-wrestle in round two and faces another tricky encounter against French 32nd seed Corentin Moutet.
The 22-year-old has again been handed an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, once more following Sabalenka on to Melbourne Park’s center court.
The Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, faces Russia-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova to kick-off day six where temperatures are forecast to soar.
Alcaraz, who is bidding for a career Grand Slam of all four majors, said his testing 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Yannick Hanfmann in round two served him well.
“I’m still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.
“Just happy that I’m just improving every day after every match. So hopefully being better in the next round.”
Alcaraz has never gone past the quarter-finals in his four trips to Australia.
Should he beat Moutet, he will meet either American 19th seed Tommy Paul or Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to make the last eight once again.
Sabalenka, as the overwhelming favorite, was upset by Madison Keys in last year’s final but insists revenge is not her motivation.
“I look at each match as a new match, new opportunity. I have also been working really hard,” she said.
“For me, it doesn’t matter what was in the past. For me, it’s the new match.”
Like Sabalenka, Gauff has been impressive so far, saying she was “near perfect” in making the third round.
She faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70, on Margaret Court Arena.
World number three Gauff takes to the court after Russia’s three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who lines up against Hungary’s Fabian Marozan.
Last year’s beaten finalist Zverev has dropped a set in both his opening two matches and will have a tough encounter in an evening clash on John Cain Arena against British 26th seed Cameron Norrie.
Women’s seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and men’s 10th seed Alexander Bublik are also in action.
Home hope and sixth seed Alex De Minaur has again been awarded the night match on center court, this time against dangerous American Frances Tiafoe.
Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva rounds out the day’s action on Rod Laver Arena in a clash with Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
