"If it is a slow pitch, no one manages the spinners better than Dhoni" - Irfan Pathan on CSK's IPL 2023 win vs Delhi Capitals

Irfan Pathan has lauded MS Dhoni for managing his spinners brilliantly in the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) IPL 2023 win against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

CSK set a 168-run target for the Capitals after opting to bat first in Chennai on Wednesday, May 10. Their bowlers then restricted the visitors to 140/8 to help their team register a comprehensive 27-run win and consolidate their second position in the points table.

During a post-match discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked about his thoughts on MS Dhoni's rotation of his bowlers, to which he responded:

"They always spin their web in bowling. If it is a slow pitch, no one manages the spinners better than Dhoni and he did that very well. The web they spun, the Delhi Capitals batters could never come out of it."

The former Indian all-rounder pointed out that the CSK skipper was not only involved in managing his bowlers but also in formulating strategies with them, elaborating:

"A spinner was introduced only in the sixth over. The fast bowlers had taken wickets before that. We also saw a run-out. Then the one over from Jadeja, he was ripping the ball and there were also discussions in the middle between Dhoni and Jadeja about what could be done."

Pathan added that the Delhi Capitals were never in the chase apart from a 59-run fourth-wicket partnership between Manish Pandey and Rilee Rossouw, stating:

"There was no chance. Apart from that one partnership, at no stage it seemed that the Delhi Capitals could win the match. Once the total went above 150, it was all CSK after that."

The Chennai Super Kings spinners conceded only 51 runs in the 10 overs they bowled. However, they picked up just one wicket between them, with Matheesha Pathirana (3/37) and Deepak Chahar (2/28) being the most successful bowlers.

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"It was not a 200-run pitch" - Irfan Pathan praises CSK's batting

MS Dhoni smashed 20 runs off nine balls. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Irfan Pathan credited the Chennai Super Kings' batting for setting up the win, saying:

"The pitch was like that as well. It was not a 200-run pitch. The batters did an amazing job, the number of runs they scored. MS Dhoni himself fired with the bat and Shivam Dube's innings was fantastic."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the CSK top order gave them the perfect start in the powerplay overs, explaining:

"Then the start they got, they scored 49 runs in the powerplay. It was being asked if they could have run faster but it was an absolutely perfect start because they lost only one wicket."

Shivam Dube was the Chennai Super Kings' top run-scorer with a 12-ball 25. Devon Conway and Moeen Ali were the only players to be dismissed before getting to the 20-run mark.