A stupendous bowling effort from Delhi Daredevils ensured they restricted Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for 119/6 in an Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium here on Tuesday.
Faf du Plesis top-scored for CSK with 29, with skipper M.S. Dhoni (27) being the other major contributor as Delhi were set an asking rate of 6 runs per over.
Zaheer Khan and Albie Morkel were the pick of the bowlers for the Daredevils claiming two scalps each.
The Daredevils opening bowlers, spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (4-1-18-0) and Zaheer (4-1-9-2) bowled an impeccable line and length in the first few overs and kept the CSK batsmen on a tight lease giving away just 16 runs in the first six overs, the lowest ever in this IPL.
Zaheer's patience was eventually rewarded as swashbuckling opener Brendon McCullum (11) fell lobbing one straight to J.P. Duminy at mid-on.
McCullum's opening partner Dwayne Smith (18) sent a few balls flying into the fence but then was adjudged leg-before wicket, just as he looked to settle down, off an Albie Morkel delivery.
CSK added 30 more after the first six overs to be at 46/3 at the halfway stage as Suresh Raina (11) too spooned one to cover.
But South African middle order bat du Plesis and Dhoni then resurrected the innings running hard between the wickets and picking up the odd boundaries.
However, on a pitch that was keeping slow and low, Morne Morkel came back to castle his countryman, du Plesis (29; 23b, 3x4 0x6) as he chopped one onto his stumps with score flashing 83/4 in 15.2 overs.
Dhoni then upped the ante belting Yuvraj Singh for 13 in the 17th over. Dwayne Bravo (8) hit another six help his team get past the 100-run mark in the 18th but was caught out a delivery later.
Zaheer in his first ball of the second spell got rid of the dangerous looking Dhoni (27;24b 3x4 1x6) foxing him with a slower one that he skied into the hands of long-off.
