After a stuttering start to the season, Sanju Samson’s engine finally vroomed to perfection on Saturday.
Only 22 runs in the first three games for his new franchise had put Samson under a bit of pressure. But just as he had done for Team India in the T20 World Cup, Samson woke up just at the right time to fire Chennai Super Kings to their first win of IPL 2026.
Fifteen boundaries and four maximums adorned Samson’s 56-ball innings 115 not out, which laid the platform for the Super Kings’ 23-run win over Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Samson’s first century of this IPL — fourth overall — alongside the promising Ayush Mhatre’s 36-ball 59 — before he was retired out in the 18th over — propelled CSK to a formidable 212/2 after the Capitals won the toss and opted to bowl first.
In reply, Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul helped the Capitals to 52/0 in four overs, but Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj tilted the momentum in favour of the Super Kings by dismissing the openers. Thereafter, a superb diving catch from Sarfaraz Khan at backward point sent Capitals skipper Axar Patel back. Sameer Rizvi departed soon after.
From 61/0 in the fifth over, the Capitals suddenly found themselves at 76/4 in eight overs and couldn’t recover. Tristan Stubbs (60 off 38 balls) fought almost till the end, but hardly without any support from the other end. The Capitals finished at 189, suffering their second straight loss.
Earlier, Samson’s century lifted the gloom that he and his team had slipped into. From the Indian team’s perspective, the consistency that Dhruv Jurel, the Rajasthan Royals keeper-batter, has shown so far this season could well have added to Samson’s discomfort had he fallen cheaply once again on Saturday.
The India T20I keeper-batter was, however, on the ball right from the onset as he carved the very first ball of the game from pacer Auqib Nabi — on his IPL debut — between cover and point for three runs. After that, his timing and placement were impeccable as he drove, cut and sliced the ball, besides executing a few superb pull shots as well. Among Samson’s four sixes, the one that stood out was when he launched Kuldeep Yadav over extra cover.
Overton spell
Samson’s century aside, what also helped CSK in their first win at home after six straight losses was England seamer all-rounder Jamie Overton (4/18). Right through, Overton, who also bowled 13 dot balls, focused on hitting the hard length and varied
his pace from mid-140kmph to the 120s, taking the key scalps of Rizvi, David Miller, Nabi and Stubbs.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was spot-on with his field placements to effect Rizvi’s dismissal, while Overton bowled a beauty that cut in and cleaned up Miller before hurrying one into Stubbs.