IPL 2021 Match 23: Chennai Super Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets — as it happened

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Kolkata: A fluent 129-run stand between openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (75 off 44 balls) and senior pro Faf du Plessis (56 off 38 balls) set Chennai Super Kings on course to a thumping seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first match for both teams in New Delhi.

It looks a completely transformed Chennai team this season from last year in the UAE as the three-time champions have displaced Royal Challengers Bangalore at the top of the table again. They kept things under control to rein in Sunrisers to a total of 171 for three - barely a par score on a new-look wicket.

The Orange Army continues to languish at the bottom of the table while the two half-centuries from their captain David Warner and Manish Pandey not proving to be enough to contain a rampant CSK batting.

Kolkata: Sunrisers Hyderabad rode on two workmanlike half-centuries by skipper David Warner (57 off 55 balls) and Manish Pandey (61 off 46) to reach a fighting total of 171 for three against Chennai Super Kings in the first match for both teams in Delhi.

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Kolkata: It’s a mis-matched battle between a resurgent Chennai Super Kings, currently in second position of IPL standings, as they take on cellar team Sunrisers Hyderabad in what’s the first match for both at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi today.

A Super Over heartbreak in their last match against Delhi Capitals may have given David Warner’s men some positives, but the thin middle order batting continues to be an area of concern for them. Chennai, on the other hand, have plugged their gaps well this season and their spinners will be relishing the prospect of capitalizing on the traditionally slow and low surface of Delhi.

The Orange Army, meanwhile, will be banking a lot on the irrespresible Rashid Khan again to put the brakes on the rival batsmen. Their team management will also do well to realise that they cannot afford to drop Manish Pandey from the number three or four spot, should they look to bring some solidity and experience in the line-up.

It’s over to the Indian capital then...