IPL 2018: CSK vs DD, 5 CSK players who stood out in the match

Chennai Super Kings returned to winning ways when they beat the Delhi Daredevils by 13 runs in a high-scoring match. It was a close encounter which could have gone either way, but both teams can find some positives to take out of the match based on the performances put in by several players.

Chennai's win now sees them sitting comfortably at the top of the table with 12 points and they seem well on their way to making the playoffs once again. Shane Watson and MS Dhoni both struck magnificent half-centuries to move CSK one step closer to securing a playoff berth.

The coaching staff will be particularly pleased with the way CSK won this match. Their brutal batting was supported by quality bowling, particularly from pacer Lungi Ngidi who was making his debut for CSK. There were as many four changes in the playing eleven, with du Plessis, Karn Sharma, Ngidi and young Kerala pacer KM Asif brought into the side. This did not curtail CSK's momentum in the least, with the four players producing the goods on the night.

In this article, we will take a look at 5 players from CSK whose performances stood out during their victory over the Delhi Daredevils.

#1 Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Dhoni proved that he is as destructive as ever

Dhoni proved that he still has plenty in the tank with a swashbuckling 51 not out off a mere 22 deliveries. His destructive knock sent a reminder to all those in attendance as well as those watching from all over the world that he is far from calling it a day.

He absolutely destroyed the bowlers by striking 2 fours and 5 maximums, which included a huge 108-meter six. Dhoni has been in amazing form during this year's IPL and once again showed just how valuable he can be.

Dhoni came in at number five and immediately took the attack to the Delhi Daredevils' bowling unit. It was during the 17th over when he really began to accelerate - smashing 16 runs off the first three deliveries bowled by Trent Boult.

It is not just the rate at which he scored which makes his innings outstanding but also the way in which he paced himself as he batted. The maturity and skill which he demonstrated yet again underlines the value which he adds to the team.

This bodes well for CSK going forward and they will be hoping that Dhoni has plenty more talking to do with his bat.

#2 Harbhajan Singh

Singh reminded us all of his ability with the ball

Harbhajan Singh put in a performance of note during the match against the Delhi Daredevils. There are some critics who might feel that he did not pick up any wickets and therefore he did not have as much of an impact on the game as the other bowlers. This is something which can easily be debated against especially considering the way he bowled during the match.

Singh conceded just 26 runs in his four overs on what proved to be a decent batting pitch. It was evident that the Delhi batsmen were struggling to score freely off the veteran spinner and he prevented the likes of Colin Munro and Glenn Maxwell from getting away.

His miserly spell ensured that the batsmen were kept under pressure and forced them to play risky shots against the other bowlers. Singh proved that it is not only wickets that can cause a bowler to play a massive role in the outcome of a match.

While he will still be looking to take wickets in the upcoming matches, his performance in this particular match underlined the importance of bowling economically and not just obsessing over wickets. He did the basics right - landing the ball in the right area, bowling a good line and length and adjusting himself to the conditions. His four overs have provided a wonderful example to any up and coming bowlers on how to go about bowling with control and remaining disciplined.

#3 Shane Watson

Watson continues his destructive form

Being the Man of the Match, Shane Watson was always going to make it onto this list. The Aussie has been in sublime form during this year's IPL and is one of the most dangerous opening batsmen in this year's tournament.

He smashed 78 runs off a mere 40 deliveries - clearing the boundary a whopping 7 times during his swashbuckling innings. The confidence with which he played is indicative of a man who is in form and shows that there is more to come.

CSK will be happy to see that Watson is continuing his devastating form and may have something to think about after seeing how well he paired up with Faf du Plessis at the top.

#4 Lungi Ngidi

Ngidi underlined his value with the ball

Lungi Ngidi is in the form of his life right now. The young fast bowler from South Africa had a fantastic series against India a few months ago and proved that his bowling talents are not limited to Test cricket.

The young man bowled with exceptional control and impressive pace which would have raised more than a few eyebrows during the match. In addition to this, he returned outstanding figures of just 26 runs off his 4 overs. This included the big wicket of Rishabh Pant who was threatening to take the game away from CSK.

The maturity with which he bowled was exceptional. He would have had very little exposure to subcontinent conditions yet looked like a senior bowler compared to the rest of the attack. CSK have selected an amazing talent and will be wise to use him more regularly in their future matches.

#5 Ambati Rayudu

Rayudu showed that he is also in fine form

This match will be remembered by many for the innings played by Watson and Dhoni but it would be criminal to forget the valuable contribution made by Ambati Rayudu in CSK's victory over the Delhi Daredevils.

Rayudu came in at number four after Suresh Raina fell for just 2 runs. At that point, many spectators might have thought that the loss of 2 quick wickets would have caused a slowing down in the run rate, but Rayudu had other ideas.

The batsman seemed to be in a destructive mood as he blasted 41 runs off a mere 24 deliveries, only to be run out by Trent Boult. He looked very comfortable at the crease and played with such confidence that one could be forgiven for thinking that he would have ended the innings unbeaten.

His innings was important as it helped CSK maintain momentum and ensured that they did not experience a middle-order collapse. CSK had lost du Plessis and Raina in the space of 2 deliveries when he made his way to the crease, but this did not restrain the batsman nor did he allow this to put the brakes on the scoring rate.

This was perhaps one of the biggest factors in ensuring that CSK made it over the 200-run mark and further highlights the importance of his innings.

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