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Toss Winner - Delhi Capitals won the toss and choose to bowl first
Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 23 runs
Chennai Super Kings have lost three in a row. Can they turn their season around?
Delhi Capitals are our picks for the winners of this clash.
| Tournament: | Indian Premier League, 2026 |
| Format: | t20 |
| Venue: | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, India |
| Toss Prediction: | To Bowl |
| Weather: | 32.2°C|Clear |
Chennai Super Kings will take on Delhi Capitals in Match 18 of IPL 2026 at their home venue, Chepauk. Chennai have lost three of their first games and need a win quickly to get some momentum into their season. Delhi, meanwhile, have won two of their three matches so far and have looked very solid this year. They have also beaten CSK in two of their last three clashes, and with this kind of early form, they go into this game as the stronger team on paper.
CSK
250/3 in 20.0 12.5
207/10 in 19.4 10.53
209/5 in 20.0 10.45
210/5 in 18.4 11.25
128/2 in 12.1 10.52
127/10 in 19.4 6.46
147/10 in 18.3 7.95
230/5 in 20.0 11.5
187/8 in 20.0 9.35
188/4 in 17.1 10.95
DC
141/10 in 18.4 7.55
145/4 in 17.1 8.45
146/9 in 20.0
IPL 2023
Chennai Super Kings won by 77 runs
223/3 in 20.0
167/8 in 20.0
IPL 2023
Chennai Super Kings won by 27 runs
140/8 in 20.0
Chennai Super Kings have had a poor start to the season, losing three matches in a row and sitting at the bottom of the table with an NRR of -2.517. Their most recent loss came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where they were beaten by 43 runs after conceding 250 for 3.
Their batting showed some improvement in the last game as CSK managed 207, but the bowling unit struggled again, with RCB’s batters scoring freely across the innings. They will need a much better all-round effort as they prepare to take on a confident Delhi side at home.
Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad were expected to give solid starts, but both have struggled so far. Samson, who was in top form during the recent T20 World Cup, has recorded three single-digit scores in this tournament. He is too good a player to stay quiet for long and could turn things around here. Gaikwad, who is also leading the side, will aim to chip in with at least 30 or more runs.
Ayush Mhatre and Sarfaraz Khan, who can be used as the Impact Sub, strengthen the middle order. Both have played useful knocks, with Sarfaraz scoring a quick 50 off 25 balls in the last game.
Shivam Dube has scored 69 runs at a strike rate of 157 and will look to attack spin in the middle overs. He plays that role regularly and has a strike rate of 155 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which makes him a serious threat against Delhi’s spin options.
One piece of good news for CSK is that Dewald Brevis is all set to return to the eleven for this clash after missing the previous three games. The South African middle-order striker is known for his ability to strike sixes and has smashed 144 of them in 1032 balls since 2025. That's a six every seven balls on average!
The pace attack of Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, and Khaleel Ahmed has potential but needs better execution on this surface. Henry has looked the most dependable and could trouble KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka. Noor Ahmad’s form is also a concern, as he is yet to take a wicket in three games and is conceding 11.10 runs per over. CSK might consider bringing in Akeal Hosein to replace him for this fixture.
Sanju Samson Total Runs Over 26.5 @ 1.85
Sanju Samson hasn't been at his best this season where he has struggled to score runs after creaming a boundary in every match. He is due for a big knock and at a crucial juncture in this season, Samson will look to bounce back and we predict his score to be over 26 runs.
Total Fours Over 14.5 @ 1.85
CSK are averaging 16.6 fours per match this season and have been a good boundary-hitting side with quality players throughout their batting lineup. The last time they played at MA Chidambaram Stadium they smashed 21 fours against Punjab Kings. The fast outfield at the newly relaid surface makes the over 14.5 fours line a very well-supported pick.
Powerplay Score Over 53.5 @ 1.83
Chennai Super Kings are averaging 58.3 runs per match in the powerplay overs this season. They have scored over 55 runs on two occasions, with one lower score of 41. The last time they played at Chepauk the powerplay score was 57 runs. Expect, CSK to go hard in the first six overs and their score to be over 53.
Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad/Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed Impact subs: Dewald Brevis
Dewald Brevis, Noor Ahmad, Jamie Overton, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Anshul Kamboj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Gurjapneet Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre
Delhi Capitals have made a good start to the season, winning two of their first three matches and moving into fourth place on the points table. They began with wins over Lucknow and Mumbai Indians but suffered their first defeat in the last game, going down by a single run to Gujarat Titans. It turned into a close contest, with Delhi falling short of a 211 target after failing to get the required runs off the final two deliveries.
Sameer Rizvi has been the most impressive batter so far, scoring two half-centuries and collecting 160 runs, including an unbeaten 90 off 51 balls against Mumbai.
Pathum Nissanka has also played his part, scoring 86 runs at a strike rate of 146. His role at the top has helped the side settle early and build a better base in the powerplay.
KL Rahul returned to form after a quiet start, scoring a fine 92 off 50 balls against Gujarat. He will be an important player in this match, especially given his record against CSK, where he averages 45 with six fifties in 15 innings.
With Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, and David Miller also in the batting unit, Delhi have enough options to recover if they lose early wickets. Miller showed that in the last match, scoring 55 not out off 32 and almost taking the team over the line.
In the bowling department, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, and Mukesh Kumar have done a solid job, picking up 13 wickets between them while keeping the scoring under control. Captain Axar Patel has also chipped in with two wickets and an economy of 7.10. Kuldeep Yadav has taken three wickets at 9.45 and gives them another option in the middle overs.
Pathum Nissanka Total Score Over 23.5 @ 1.85
Pathum Nissanaka scored 30 runs in the last two matches, striking at 145.76. He is one of those batters who plays eye pleasing and risk free cricket. Given his current run of form, we back Nissanka to score over 23 runs in today's match.
Total Fours Over 15.5 @ 1.75
Delhi Capitals are averaging 16.66 fours per match this season and have hit over 15 fours in all three matches played. Expect another strong boundary-scoring game for the Capitals at a ground with a fast outfield, and back their total fours count to clear the 15.5 line once again.
KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel(c), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar Impact Subs: Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi Dar, Sameer Rizvi
Auqib Nabi, Lokesh Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Lungi Ngidi, Axar Patel, Sameer Rizvi, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Kuldeep Yadav
Warm and humid conditions are expected in Chennai, with temperatures likely to stay in the mid-to-high 20s during the evening hours and little to no chance of rain. Skies should be partly cloudy, with light winds offering minimal relief, meaning conditions could feel slightly muggy for players and spectators.
Pitch Condition
BalancedBatting Conditions
Moderate ScoringPace Bowling
Two PacedSpin Bowling
High Turn
A total of six matches were held at Chepauk in IPL 2025, with the average first innings score settling at 164, while two totals went beyond 190. In the season opener at this venue, CSK made 209 for 5 after batting first, but Punjab Kings chased the target without much trouble in 18.4 overs.
Scoring is easier in the powerplay when the field is up, though it tends to slow down later, especially during the middle overs when spin comes into effect. Overall, the pitch should stay good for batting.
If CSK get to bat first, they may look to reach the 180 to 190 mark. Delhi, with their strong batting line-up, could aim for a score in the 190 to 210 range.
Total Match Sixes Under 16.5 @ 1.85
Chennai Super Kings are averaging close to 8 sixes per match this season, while Delhi Capitals are averaging 7.33. Matches between CSK and DC have not historically been high six-hitting contests, with the average total sixes per match between these teams last season standing at just 12. We predict another moderate sixes tally and back the total to come in under 16.5.
Chennai Super Kings to win the coin toss @ 1.90
We back Chennai Super Kings to win the coin toss in today's match against the Delhi Capitals.
Among the 14 IPL 2026 fixtures completed until now, toss winners elected to field first on 12 occasions. This is because teams prefer batting second during night games in Indian venues. Expect this trend to continue here, as both skippers would almost certainly want to chase if they win the toss.
Delhi Capitals will look to recover after that close loss in their last outing. They have the tools to do so this season, with a deep batting unit and a bowling attack that has done a good job so far.
Chennai will need their batting to come good, especially Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, as their form will play a big part in how their season goes. The return of Dewald Brevis is also a big boost. The bowling unit must also improve after giving away two 200-plus totals in a row. If Chennai’s batters step up, this could turn into a close contest, but Delhi’s overall form and better balance give them the edge here.
Delhi Capitals are our picks for the winners of this clash.
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