Samson ton, Overton four-fer fashion CSK's first win

In a nutshell

Sanju Samson's first century in Chennai Super Kings colours set up his team's first win of the season as they overcame Delhi Capitals by a comfortable 23-run margin at Chepauk. It was Samson's first hundred of the year and also the first hundred of IPL 2026, setting up CSK's total of 212 for 2. DC lost regular wickets after a good start, and despite Tristan Stubbs' fighting fifty, fell well short of the target as Jamie Overton's four-wicket haul closed out the game in favour of CSK.

Match in phases

Brief scores:Chennai Super Kings 212/2 in 20 overs [Sanju Samson 115* (56), Ayush Mhatre 59 (36); Axar Patel 1-39] beat Delhi Capitals 189 in 20 overs [Tristan Stubbs 60 (38), Pathum Nissanka 41 (24); Jamie Overton 4-18, Anshul Kamboj 3-35] by 23 runs.

Who won CSK the match?

Samson and Overton. Samson's 56-ball 115 not out came at a strike rate of 205.36, ensuring that CSK finished with a good total despite Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre lagging behind in terms of strike rate and threatening to slow the team down. In the second innings, Overton's 4 for 18 prevented DC's middle order from staging a fightback, with Stubbs' wicket in the penultimate over being the final nail as far as DC's chase was concerned.

What did Sanju Samson do?

With scores of 9, 7 and 6 in his last three outings, CSK's star acquisition was due for runs, and he delivered. With Gaikwad struggling for runs at the other end, Samson ensured there was some urgency to the innings, getting nine fours in the Powerplay, with more than 70 percent of his runs through the offside. He did appear to have some problem with his lower back, though, and needed some help from the physio soon after the Powerplay ended. He brought up his first fifty for CSK, a 26-ball effort, shortly after Gaikwad got out for an 18-ball 15.

How did CSK's innings progress after that?

CSK got 61 but it felt as though they left a few runs out there in the Powerplay, considering the pitch wasn't doing much. Gaikwad's struggle added to the pressure, and a few tight overs with the field spread meant CSK could only get 88 for 1 by the halfway stage. But Samson and Mhatre tried to make up for it. Reprieved by a dropped catch from Pathum Nissanka, Samson found the boundaries regularly, as did Mhatre, after a slow start, and he also got a couple of lucky breaks - surviving a run-out chance as KL Rahul failed to collect a throw properly while Kuldeep Yadav put down a catch off his own bowling. Mhatre raced to a 27-ball fifty with regular hits over the fence, while Samson entered the 90s, taking CSK to 160 after 15 overs.

What about the finish?

Soon after the century stand was raised, Mhatre was put down again, a tough chance missed by David Miller. But a couple of quiet overs meant CSK had to retire Mhatre out, with Shivam Dube walking out to the middle despite the presence of Dewald Brevis in the XI. But Dube did make an impact, striking a 10-ball 20*, with two fours and a six, after Samson brought up his fourth IPL ton, becoming the second after KL Rahul to score hundreds for three different IPL sides. Samson also hit a six off Ngidi, extending his tally to four sixes along with 15 fours, as CSK finished the innings well - scoring 39 runs off the last three overs. However, it still felt around 15-20 runs short at that stage.

How did DC begin the chase?

CSK's bowlers did little to trouble Pathum Nissanka or Rahul early on as the DC openers were off to a blazing start, taking the team past 50 inside four overs. Akeal Hosein was brought in as an Impact Player but he proved expensive, going for 20 off his first two overs. Khaleel Ahmed gave away 16 in his first over, as did Anshul Kamboj, as DC powered themselves into a good position.

Where did it start going downhill for DC?

CSK hit back with quick strikes, starting with Khaleel getting Rahul to miscue a pull. Nissanka was put down by Khaleel but he was soon caught at mid on by Brevis, as DC ended the Powerplay at 66 for 2. It became 66 for 3 as Gurjapneet Singh took a wicket off his first ball in the IPL, having Axar Patel caught at backward point, with Sarfaraz Khan taking an excellent catch. Jamie Overton then had Sameer Rizvi with a short ball, leaving DC at 76/4 after 8 overs. Tristan Stubbs hit a six off Gurjapneet but it was a good phase for CSK, with DC getting to only 91 at the end of the 10th over.

The wrap up...

David Miller tried to build a partnership with Stubbs but the left-hander was bowled by Overton for 17. Ashutosh Sharma, the Impact Player, hit a couple of sixes before Noor Ahmad struck, bagging the first wicket for a CSK spinner this season. Overton picked up his third wicket with the scalp of Auqib Nabi Dar, pushing DC into further trouble with only Stubbs as the recognised batter. The South African went on to bring up a 30-ball fifty having struck a four and a six off Gurjapneet, bringing the equation down to 42 off 18 deliveries, and then 32 off 12. But he fell to Overton, caught at mid off after being denied a change of gloves mid-over, and was seen flinging his helmet in anger in the dressing room. A couple of wickets for Kamboj in the final over gave him a three-wicket haul and sealed a clinical win for CSK to get them aboard the points table.

What next for the teams?

Having vacated the bottom spot courtesy their win today, CSK's next game is against the now tenth-placed Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on April 14. DC have a lengthy six-day break before their next match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on April 18.