Chepauk mein history bani jab Delhi Capitals ne Chennai Super Kings ko 25-run se hara diya. IPL 2025 ke iss match mein DC ne pehle batting karte hue 183/6 ka score banaya, jiska credit gaya KL Rahul ke elegant yet explosive 77-run innings ko.
KL Rahul ne 51 balls mein 6 chaukke aur 3 chakke lagakar match ka pura momentum apni team ke naam kar diya. Jab unse post-match presentation mein unki promotion ke baare mein poocha gaya, toh unhone bola:
“Main kaafi time se top order ke liye mentally ready tha. IPL ke pehle coach se baat hui thi, unhone bola No. 4 par batting karni padegi kyunki ek senior player available nahi tha. Aaj top par khelne ka chance mila aur mazaa aaya. Jab position baar baar change hoti hai toh mentally settle hona mushkil hota hai. Thoda time lagta hai par ek baar groove mein aaya toh fir bat aur ball ka hi game hai.”
“Main yeh bhi seekh raha hoon ki kaise ball one se aggressive khela jaye. Start accha tha, middle mein thoda scratchy laga, par partnerships achhi bani—Porel ke 20-25 quick runs ne match bana diya. Axar aur Porel ke saath banayi gayi partnerships crucial thi. 11 overs ke baad laga ki ab kuch bowlers ko target karna hai. Weather aur garmi ne thoda affect kiya, last mein 15-20 runs chhoot gaye, lekin next time aur better karne ki koshish rahegi.”
KL Rahul ke alawa Tristan Stubbs ne bhi 12 balls mein 24 runs ki important cameo kheli. Khaleel Ahmed ne bowling mein kamaal dikhaya, unhone apne pehle over mein hi CSK ke power-hitter Jake Fraser-McGurk ko pressure mein daal diya aur unhe out kiya.
CSK ka chase flop ho gaya
Chennai Super Kings ki innings ki shuruaat hi disappointing rahi. Powerplay ke andar hi unke pehle 3 wickets gir gaye. Vijay Shankar ne zarur 69 (54) banaye, par strike rate sirf 127.78 ka tha, jo T20 standard ke hisaab se slow tha. MS Dhoni not out rahe 30 (26) par, par match finish nahi kar paye.
Delhi ke bowlers ne CSK ko kabhi bhi free-flowing runs nahi milne diye. Powerplay ke baad CSK sirf 69/3 thi, aur wahan se kabhi pace pick nahi kar payi. Yehi struggle poore season mein CSK ke saath raha hai, aur yeh match bhi unhone wahi repeat kiya.
Result? DC ne Chepauk mein 15 saal baad jeet ka taste chakkha diya aur CSK ke liye aur tension create kar diya.
