MS Dhoni delighted with 'complete performance' after massive win over Delhi Daredevils
MS Dhoni heaped praises on his team after a spectacular all-round performance helped the Chennai Super Kings defeat the Delhi Daredevils by 93 runs in Abi Dhabi on Monday and bag their first points of the Indian Premier League 2014.
Chennai Super Kings crushed Delhi Daredevils by 93 runs to record their first win in this year's Indian Premier League and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni termed his side's outing today as a "complete performance".
Chennai first rode on Suresh Raina's fine half-century and a late burst from the skipper to post a competitive 177 and then came up with disciplined bowling and fielding efforts to bundle the Daredevils out for a paltry 84 in 15.4 overs.
"It was a complete performance. Catches win matches and it was proved today. This was a perfect game for us," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here.
"There was a bit of help for the fast bowlers. Seven batsmen should be good enough in a T20 match. We had a day off (against Kings XI Punjab in their opening game) and fielding is something we always emphasise on and it can be a benchmark for forthcoming games," he added after his fielders took outstanding catches to support a terrific bowling effort. (Highlights: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils)
Meanwhile, losing skipper Dinesh Karthik felt it was an achievable target. He also said that the injury to Nathan Couter-Nile at the start of the match hurt their cause.
"Coulter-Nile will be out for some time as he pulled his hamstring. To have lost him that early was a blow for us. But the target would have been gettable if we batted better," he said. "The ball was seaming. Under the lights it was doing a bit more. I would have batted second anyway had I won the toss." (Read the match report)
Raina, who was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his 41-ball 56-run knock and three catches, said fielding played a big role in Chennai's win on Monday. "We bowled really well. We won the match because of our fielding. The pitch was doing something. The new ball does do more under lights," he said. He also praised young fast bowler Ishwar Pandey who picked up two wickets for 23 runs in his first match. "I think Ishwar Pandey won us the game today."