In Match 17 of the IPL 2025 season held in Chennai on Saturday, the Chennai Super Kings were unable to successfully chase another target exceeding 180 runs, facing a significant defeat against the Delhi Capitals. The Capitals emerged victorious by 25 runs, marking their third consecutive win and positioning them at the top of the IPL 2025 leaderboard. Conversely, CSK faced their third defeat out of four matches, placing them in 8th position, with a net run rate of -0.891.
The Delhi Capitals batted first, finishing their innings at 183/6 in 20 overs. Jake Fraser-McGurk was dismissed for a naught off five balls, but KL Rahul and Abishek Porel combined for a crucial 54-run partnership. Porel made a quick 33 off 20 deliveries. Axar Patel contributed by partnering with Rahul to add 36 for the third wicket, before DC saw their innings slip to 90/3 by the 10th over. Rahul’s steady presence ensured stability as he later put on a 56-run partnership with Sameer Rizvi, helping DC surpass the 180-run mark. For CSK, Khaleel Ahmed stood out with impressive bowling figures of 2/25.
In their response, CSK struggled to keep up with the required run rate, quickly finding themselves at 41/3 during the powerplay and later at 74/5 by the 11th over. A sixth-wicket partnership of 84 runs between Vijay Shankar and MS Dhoni provided some hope, but tight bowling from the Capitals stifled any real chances of a successful chase. Vipraj Nigam led the bowling attack for DC with figures of 2/27, while Mitchell Starc also made a strong impact with 1/27. Kuldeep Yadav (1/30) and Mukesh Kumar (1/36) were also commendable in their performances.
Here are three standout performers and three disappointing performances from the DC vs CSK match in Chennai.
Standout Performers
KL Rahul: In his second game for the Capitals, Rahul was pivotal in this contest. His experience and ability to handle pressure proved critical as he batted deeply into the innings, finishing with a score of 77 off 51 balls, including six fours and three sixes. Rahul registered his 66th T20 fifty and surpassed 650 fours throughout his career, totaling 7678 runs, with a significant portion (4775) scored in the IPL, including 38 fifties and 4 hundreds.
Abishek Porel: Contributing to the Capitals’ innings, Porel scored a brisk 33 runs and provided momentum after an early wicket fell. His sharp hitting included three fours and a six, and even though he was dismissed during the power play, his strike rate of 165 showcased his aggressive approach.
Vipraj Nigam: Among the promising uncapped players in IPL 2025, Nigam’s performance stood out with impressive figures of 2/27 from his four overs. His bowling was tight, allowing only two fours and a six, and he claimed crucial wickets, contributing significantly to the Capitals’ success.
Disappointing Performances
Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja had a less-than-stellar performance, with figures of 1/19 in just two overs and struggling with the bat after coming in at a critical moment when CSK was at 65/4. His inability to make a lasting impact was evident as he managed only two runs before getting out to a googly from Kuldeep Yadav.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: The CSK captain, after passing a late fitness test, had a subdued outing, scoring just 5 runs from 4 balls and was dismissed early in the innings by Starc, leaving CSK in a tough spot at 20/2. Despite not making a big score, Gaikwad did surpass 2500 runs for CSK in the IPL.
Jake Fraser-McGurk: Despite being retained by DC, Fraser-McGurk has yet to make a significant impact this season, scoring a mere five-ball duck against CSK. Having faced a few deliveries without scoring, he attempted to clear mid-on but ended up being caught, continuing his struggle with scores of 1, 38, and 0 this season.
