Chennai Super Kings have kept their playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League 2026 with a convincing eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday.
With their fifth win in 10 matches, CSK have climbed to sixth place on the points table. They are now just three points behind table-toppers Punjab Kings, although they have played one game more. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, slipped to seventh with four wins from 10 matches, putting their playoff chances under pressure.
Chasing a modest target of 156, Sanju Samson led the way with a brilliant unbeaten 87. The right-hander paced his innings perfectly, striking seven fours and six sixes to guide CSK home in just 17.3 overs. His knock not only sealed the win but also gave a healthy boost to the team’s net run rate.
Earlier in the match, Delhi Capitals struggled to build momentum after being asked to bat first. They were restricted to 155/7 in 20 overs, with Akeal Hosein setting the tone early with a tight spell of 1/19, including 14 dot balls.
At 69/5 in 11 overs, DC looked in serious trouble before Tristan Stubbs (38) and Sameer Rizvi (40*) stitched together a valuable 65-run partnership to take the total to a respectable score.
In response, CSK were clinical. Samson found solid support from Kartik Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 41, as the chase was completed with ease.
With this win, Chennai Super Kings have firmly re-entered the playoff conversation, while Delhi Capitals will need a strong turnaround in the remaining matches to stay in contention.
