IPL 2021: Happy Birthday to Rishabh Pant as Delhi Capitals win by 3 wickets over Chennai Super Kings

The 50th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 also went to the last over thriller but it was Delhi Capitals (DC) who managed to hold on to the pressure as they defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by three wickets at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday.

It surely was a very Happy Birthday for DC skipper Rishabh Pant who was seen rejoicing along with his teammates in the dugout. The Delhi side has now gone to the top of the points table while CSK slip to the second spot.

While Prithvi Shaw (18) and Shikhar Dhawan (39) gave a quick start to DC, things slowed down a bit after the former batter's dismissal. With nine wickets in hand, and the asking rate also reducing after Dhawan smashed 6, 4, 4, 6 off Deepak Chahar, things took a turn.

The Capitals played their shots on a tricky pitch and almost made a mess of the chase. Shreyas Iyer (2), Rishabh Pant (15), Ripal Patel (18), Ravi Ashwin (2) and Axar Patel (5) all got dismissed in regular intervals.

CSK's spinners applied the brakes and Shardul Thakur - the man with a golden arm - was brilliant as he finished with 2/13.

Things were starting to CSK's way, but there was one big moment in the 18th over - Krishnappa Gowtham, the sub fielder - not only dropped Shimron Hetmyer Hetmyer (28*) but also deflected the ball past the ropes and the Caribbean took full toll of that reprieve.

Earlier, Ambati Rayudu smashed a fighting half-century but Delhi Capitals still restricted CSK to 136/5. CSK were 88/4 after the 14 overs but Rayudu exploits with the bat in the death helped the MS Dhoni-led side post 136 in the allotted 20 overs.

For Delhi Capitals, Axar Patel picked two while Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan and Ravichandran Ashwin took a wicket each.

Put in to bat first, CSK got off to a bad start as the side lost both opening batsmen Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the powerplay.

Robin Uthappa who came into bat number three failed to leave a mark as Ravichandran Ashwin picked his first of the day in the eight over.

Axar Patel, who had dismissed Du Plessis, removed in form batsman Moeen Ali in the ninth over. CSK were 69/4 after 10 with MS Dhoni and Rayudu in the middle trying to get things back on track.

Rayudu and Dhoni took CSK to 88/4 after 14 overs with both batsmen scoring less than run a ball. However, CSK got the momentum in the 18th over as Rayudu smashed a six to bring up the 50-run partnership.

In the last three overs, CSK scored 32 to reach 136 in the allotted 20 overs.