Dhoni proved how devastating he can be, with a superb 63 off 31 balls. An 18 run victory was carved by Chennai, as Delhi could not reach the target of 177.
With four sixes and five fours, Dhoni played a captain's responsible innings. With the in form Badrinath, who scored a regal 55, he guided Chennai to a mammoth 176/4 in 20 overs. A Delhi sans Sehwag could not chase the required runs !
Irfan scored an unconquered 46, but that proved to be in vain as none of the other Delhi batsmen could partner him.
With this win, Chennai has 8 wins and their unbeaten streak at home stand at six wins. Dhoni and Badri scored fifties in contrasting styles. In only 9.2 overs, they added 96 runs for the fourth wicket.
Dhoni smashed his fifty off 28 balls and finished the innings, lofting Irfan for two consecutive sixes. Suddenly the Dhoni of old was in full view and all Indians were delighted at the way they had got the old Dhoni. Dhoni had curbed himself to play solidly, actuated by the pressures of captaincy ! Badri, on the other hand, a certainty for the West Indian tour, played more or less solidly to give the much needed support to Dhoni.
The last ten overs yielded 109 runs in direct contrast to 67 runs in the first ten. Delhi committed the error of selecting five fast bowlers on a slow track and Agarkar gave away 49 runs off 4 overs and Pathan gave 40 runs off four.
Badri and Dhoni ran singles well and Dhoni pulled Agarkar for four and then McDonald for a six. He moved into the 40s with a straight drive off the genuinely fast Aaron. Dhoni's best shot was a lofted shot for six and Badri proved to be an able ally.
Chennai were in dire straits when M Hussey was removed by Irfan in the very first over. McDonald was hit by Raina for a four and a six, but he perished trying to hook Aaron. M Vijay did play some good shots, hitting Agarkar for sixes, but was out for 35, holing out to Agarkar. He was dropped twice off Aaron and Nadeem off successive deliveries, but Agarkar had his revenge.
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