Devon Conway has smashed three consecutive half-centuries since joining the Chennai Super Kings camp last week. The Kiwi on Sunday led the team by scoring 87 off 49 balls as the defending champions defeated the Delhi Capitals by 91 runs at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. 

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Conway and fellow opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (41 off 33 balls) added 110 at the top before Shivam Dube (32 off 19 balls) and MS Dhoni (21 off 8 balls) gave CSK the final burst to post a 208-run total. In reply, Rishabh Pant and co were all-out for 117 in 17.4 overs.

Chasing a 200+ total, Delhi Capitals were 36/2 in the fifth over. Openers KS Bharat and David Warner (19 off 12) could not make much of a difference. Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant got good starts but none of the DC batters lasted long enough to put a fight. Rovman Powell, Ripal Patel and Axar Patel scored in single digits. Shardul Thakur, who looked threatening, was dismissed for 24 off 19 balls. 

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For CSK, Moeen Ali spun a web and picked wickets at an impressive economy rate. The English spinner recorded figures of 3/13 in four overs. Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh and Dwayne Bravo chipped in with two wickets each as Maheesh Theekshana got one. 

Delhi Capitals once again faced a COVID-19 scare ahead of the game. One of the nets bowlers tested positive for the virus and the team was sent into self isolation. They were also missing regular opener Prithvi Shaw, who was out with fever. 

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Skipper Pant, however, said that the team cannot use the COVID-19 outbreak as an excuse for the loss. 

“The only thing we can look forward to is the next three matches, if we win them then we will qualify. There is a fair bit going on amongst us, especially Covid and we had few stomach infections, but we are not making an excuse and we just want to keep improving. Right now we can be more positive and that’s what we are going to be talking about to the boys, let’s be more proactive and let’s be in a good frame of mind to make good decisions in the next few matches,” he said after the loss.