It might have come too late to help book their place in the IPL playoffs, but Sunday’s 91-run thrashing of Delhi Capitals showed how good Chennai Super Kings can be when they are in that sort of all-conquering mood. Chennai rattled up 208-6 after player-of-the-match Devon Conway smashed five sixes and seven fours in making 87 off 49 balls, his second 80-plus score this season and third half ton, besides laying a strong foundation with an opening stand of 110 with Ruturaj Gaikwad (41), also the second century partnership of the season by this pair.

Chasing, a concern

Capitals couldn’t handle the heat of chasing the huge score and folded up for a paltry 117 in 17.4 overs with Mitchell Marsh making the highest score of 25. The wickets were claimed by Chennai off-spinner Moeen Ali (3-13), another spinner, Maheesh Theekshana (1-29) and medium pacers Mukesh Choudhuay, Simarjeet Singh and Dwayne Bravo, who shared six wickets equally. Delhi head coach Ricky Ponting was confident that his team could still make the playoffs by rebounding strongly and winning the last three games.