Sanju Samson came roaring back after three matches without the kind of impact he was looking for, striking a brilliant unbeaten hundred to help Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 23 runs and claim their maiden win of IPL 2026 at Chepauk on Saturday. Samson’s 115* off 56 deliveries, backed by Ayush Mhatre’s 59 off 36, powered CSK to 212 for 2. Delhi were then undone by a superb spell from Jamie Overton, who finished with figures of 4/18, as the Capitals were bowled out for 189. Tristan Stubbs kept DC’s hopes alive with a gritty half-century, but it was not enough as the defending chase slipped away.
CSK’s platform: 212 for 2
Put into bat first, CSK leaned on Samson to reset their innings and find rhythm early. After a quiet patch in the tournament, the Kerala batter looked far more composed, and he quickly began to build momentum alongside Mhatre.
- Samson struck his first substantial score in a yellow jersey during this outing.
- He and Mhatre stitched together a partnership worth 113 runs for the second wicket in just over 11 overs.
- Samson’s innings featured his fourth IPL century overall, his first for CSK, and the first hundred of the IPL season.
- CSK finished on 212 for 2, setting up a challenging total for Delhi.
Key moments in Samson’s innings
The tone of Samson’s knock changed as the innings progressed. Earlier in the season, he had appeared unsure about his movement and shot selection, but against Delhi the familiar version of his game returned—feet, eyes and hands all clicking together to open up the field.
- He showed early timing with two consecutive fours off Mukesh Kumar.
- The standout strike was a six over extra cover off left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
- Samson was also dropped on 55 near long-off when Pathum Nissanka failed to hold Axar Patel’s bowling opportunity.
- He reached his fifty in 26 balls, one fewer than Mhatre.
- Samson then completed his hundred in 52 balls as CSK continued to surge ahead.
Delhi’s chase and CSK’s bowling response
Chasing 213, Delhi made a bright start, reaching 61 in five overs thanks to a solid opening stand between KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka, with Nissanka contributing 41. But once Nissanka was dismissed, the chase lost momentum at a crucial stage.
- At 61 for two in 5.2 overs, DC were still positioned to press the target.
- However, CSK changed the tempo with their pacers—Overton, Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj—producing deliveries that held their line and brought up extra bounce on the red soil.
- Sameer Rizvi and Axar Patel were both brought down by this pressure.
- Sarfaraz Khan played a decisive role in Axar’s dismissal, taking a full-length diving catch at point.
- Overton then struck again, clipping Tristan Stubbs’ momentum by cutting away David Miller’s leg-stump bails with a hard-length ball.
What went wrong for DC: Stubbs’ fight and the season turning point
Even with the chase wobbling, Delhi still had David Miller and Tristan Stubbs in the lineup to threaten the total. Stubbs, in particular, kept DC in the contest with a determined half-century, delaying the inevitable for as long as possible. Ultimately though, Overton’s spell and CSK’s disciplined execution ensured Delhi ended at 189 all out.
- Jamie Overton’s figures finished at 4/18.
- Delhi Capitals were bowled out for 189.
- Tristan Stubbs scored 60 as he tried to push the chase forward.
- Delhi suffered their second defeat in a row, while CSK recorded their first win of the season.
Nissanka’s dismissal and the shift in momentum
One of the decisive turning points came when Nissanka couldn’t convert a let-off into a bigger score. His catch chance was grassed by Khaleel Ahmed off Anshul Kamboj, but the very next ball he was forced to play straight into the hands of Dewald Brevis at the edge of the circle. From there, CSK’s bowlers tightened the screws and denied DC the freedom to settle into their shots.
How CSK’s powerplay unfolded
For all Samson’s acceleration, CSK’s opening pair did not always translate that momentum into rapid scoring. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad failed to add pace even during the Powerplay, with the 62-run opening-wicket alliance built largely through Samson’s aggressive approach rather than sustained tempo from the other end.
Mhatre’s role before Dube’s opportunity
Alongside Samson, Mhatre entertained the Chepauk crowd with a range of well-timed strokes. His stay at the crease was cut short when he was retired out after a well-compiled knock, a tactical move that opened the door for big-hitting Shivam Dube to come in and take on the bowling.
