Sanju Samson Shines as CSK Secures First IPL 2026 Victory Against Delhi Capitals

In a thrilling match, Chennai Super Kings achieved their first victory of IPL 2026 by defeating Delhi Capitals by 23 runs. Sanju Samson was the star of the show, scoring an impressive century and earning the Player of the Match title. His performance marked a significant turnaround after a series of underwhelming innings. The match saw CSK set a challenging target, with strong contributions from Samson and Ayush Mhatre. Despite a promising start, Delhi Capitals struggled to maintain momentum, ultimately falling short. Discover the key moments and standout performances from this exciting encounter.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 12, 2026, 00:39 IST

CSK Triumphs Over DC with a 23-Run Victory

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) celebrated their inaugural win of IPL 2026 by defeating the Delhi Capitals by 23 runs. The standout performer was undoubtedly Sanju Samson, who was named Player of the Match after a stellar performance. Following a series of disappointing outings in the initial matches, he finally delivered, scoring his first century for CSK in this match. With this remarkable innings, he has etched his name in the record books as only the second player to achieve this milestone.

Samson has now accumulated four centuries in IPL history, with two for Rajasthan Royals and one each for Delhi Capitals and CSK. He joins KL Rahul as the only players to have scored centuries for three different franchises, with Rahul achieving this feat for Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals.

In this match, Samson scored an impressive 115 runs off just 56 balls, featuring 15 fours and four sixes. Reflecting on his performance during the mid-innings break, he stated, “Regardless of your form or past successes, a few failures can lead to self-doubt. I aimed to return to my fundamentals, trust myself, and adhere to my scoring patterns. I had many thoughts about whether to be aggressive from the start or adjust my strategy, but I chose to stick with what was effective, and thankfully, it paid off beautifully today.”

CSK's Strong Start and DC's Struggles

CSK began their innings strongly, with Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad putting together a solid opening partnership of 62 runs. Ruturaj, however, fell short, scoring only 18 runs. Ayush Mhatre then joined Samson, and together they dominated the DC bowlers, forming a partnership of 113 runs, with Mhatre contributing 59 runs before retiring out. Ultimately, it was Samson who shone brightest, finishing unbeaten on 115, marking his first century for CSK and making him the only CSK wicketkeeper to achieve this in IPL history.

In reply, Delhi Capitals were dismissed for 183 runs. Although they started well, they lost wickets at crucial moments. Tristan Stubbs was the lone warrior for DC, scoring 60 runs. For CSK, Jamie Overton was exceptional with the ball, taking 4 wickets for just 18 runs, while Anshul Kamboj also made a significant impact with three wickets.