Batting first, Delhi posted a competitive total of 183/6, largely thanks to Rahul’s 51-ball masterclass that featured six fours and three sixes. The stylish opener combined grace and power, holding the innings together even as wickets fell around him

Abhishek Porel gave DC early momentum with a brisk 33 off 20 balls, punishing errant bowling from Mukesh Choudhary, who struggled with his length early on. Despite an early jolt from Khaleel Ahmed (2/25), who dismissed Jake Fraser-McGurk in the first over, DC recovered well to put 51 on the board by the end of the powerplay.

Rahul, supported ably by Sameer Rizvi (20 off 15), stitched a quick 56-run stand for the fourth wicket. Though Axar Patel chipped in with a 14-ball 21, his promising cameo ended prematurely. A late flourish from Tristan Stubbs (24 off 12)* helped push the total close to 190, though Matheesha Pathirana’s (1/31) excellent final over ensured CSK weren’t chasing an even bigger target.

In reply, CSK’s chase never really got going. They were reduced to 41/3 in the powerplay as Mitchell Starc (1/27) and Mukesh Kumar (1/36) applied early pressure. Starc dismissed Gaikwad with a well-set trap, while Mukesh sent Rachin Ravindra back with a leading edge.

Devon Conway, returning to the XI in place of Jamie Overton, managed just 13 before falling to young leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam, who finished with an impressive 2/27

Vijay Shankar fought a lone battle for CSK with a gritty 69 off 54, but the momentum was always with Delhi. Stubbs, who took a fine catch to dismiss Shivam Dube, dropped Shankar later on, but the damage had already been done

The win marked a significant breakthrough for Delhi, who had not won a match at Chepauk in 15 years. CSK, meanwhile, continue to grapple with form issues this season, suffering their third loss in five games