Man of the Match DC vs CSK: The batter from Chennai Super Kings won the match award for scoring his seventh IPL half-century.
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During the Qualifier 1 of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings in Dubai, Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 4 wickets to reach the final of the tournament.
After Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and chose to field, Capitals posted a competitive 172/5 in 20 overs on the back of individual half-centuries between Prithvi Shaw (60) and Rishabh Pant (51*).
After losing their fourth wicket in the form of Shaw in the 11th over, Pant and Shimron Hetmyer (37) had put together an impact-generating 83-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
With bowling figures of 4-0-29-2, Super Kings fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was the pick of their bowlers. Apart from Hazlewood, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali and Dwayne Bravo picked a wicket apiece.
Man of the Match DC vs CSK today IPL 2021
Chasing a 173-run target, Chennai were put ahead in the chase by a 110-run partnership for the second wicket between Ruturaj Gaikwad (70) and Robin Uthappa (63).
It was Uthappa’s 25th IPL half-century which handed Dhoni and his men with a boost especially in the first half of their innings. However, it was Gaikwad who was awarded with the ‘Man of the Match’ award for scoring his 13th T20 half-century, seventh IPL half-century and fourth of this season.
“I try to stay neutral. Every game is new so need to start afresh, need to start new. The powerplay was the crucial stage, the wicket was holding a little bit,” Gaikwad was quoted as saying by Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Robin [Uthappa] batted really well, took on bowlers. It got easier for me to stay there till the end. At times you have to take the odd risk. You have to take it one over at a time, so that required rate doesn’t go up too much.”
Needing 24 runs to win in the last two overs, it was Dhoni who batted convincingly for the first time this season scoring a match-winning 18* (6) with the help of three fours and a six to become a source of amazement for his bountiful fans.
