IPL 2026: CSK Stay Alive in Playoff Race as Samson, Kartik Sink Delhi Capitals

Sanju Samson and Kartik Sharma helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeat Delhi Capitals (DC) by eight wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 encounter at Arun Jaitley Stadium in the national capital on Tuesday night.

After CSK's spinners Noor Ahmed (2/22 in 3 overs) and Akeal Hosein (1/19 in 4 overs), along with pacer Gurjapneet Singh (1/29 in 4 overs) restricted DC to 155/7 in 20 overs, it was Sanju Samson (87* runs off 52 balls, including seven fours and six maximums) and Kartik Sharma (31 runs off 31 balls including four boundaries and two sixes) who stitched an unscathed partnership of 114 runs to help CSK get the crucial two points.

CSK’s Player of the Match, Sanju Samson, said after winning the game, “They’re calling me Chetta, but I like Sanju more. You try to see what serves well, stick to the basics, and trust your hands to do better. I just stuck to the process, and it’s working out well.”

With the win, CSK kept their IPL 2026 playoff hopes alive as they now sit sixth on the points table with five wins and five losses in 10 matches. They have four more games to go.

Chasing 156, CSK began the proceedings cautiously till the third over but Delhi Capitals struck in the next over as DC pacer Lungi Ngidi (1/30 in 4 overs) got rid of CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who could only score six runs. After four overs, CSK stood at 24/1.

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CSK's Urvil Patel smashed two back-to-back sixes in the sixth over to push the team's total to 44/1 after the Powerplay.

However, right after the Powerplay, DC captain Axar Patel (1/25 in 4 overs) ended Urvil's stay at the crease as he got the batter stumped, ending Urvil's innings at 17 off nine balls. After seven overs, CSK stood at 49/2.

However, Urvil's was the final wicket that DC were going to get as Sanju Samson and Kartik Sharma shared an unbroken stand of 114 runs off 66 balls from then on.

Samson unleashed his might on DC's Kuldeep Yadav as he hit two sixes and a four to bring up his fifty in 32 balls in the 12th over. After 12 overs, CSK stood at 96/2.

While DC bowlers tried out several tactics, the Samson-Kartik partnership remained unscathed at the crease.

Another expensive over came when Samson hit two sixes and a four back-to-back off the bowling of T Natarajan in the 15th over, taking CSK to 126/2 after 15 overs.

It was Kartik Sharma who finished the game for CSK as he hit a six and a boundary to take CSK over the line as the Men in Yellow won by eight wickets with 15 balls remaining.

(With inputs from ANI)