CSK vs DC Live Score Streaming, IPL 2020 Match 34 Live: Dhoni falls as Nortje, Rabada keep Chennai in check

Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the IPL 2020 match between the Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah.

Nortje and KG to wrap up the innings. 12 pacy deliveries await the two batsmen. Rabada to bowl the 19th. Starts with a wide. A single off the next ball. Keep an eye on the speedometer – both balls have been north of 140. Another single. The 150 comes up. SIX! Much-needed big hit as Rayudu launches this over deep square-leg for six. This has been a lovely innings from the right-hander.

Tushar Deshpande to bowl out. These two need to go after the least experienced member of DC’s pace trio. Can’t let him off with an economical over. Good effort from the Mumbaikar thus far – three singles off the first three. SIX!  A length ball and Jadeja has clobbered that out of the ground for six. Pressure. The youngster concedes a wide off the last ball. 13 from that over. CSK 147/4 after 18 Overs.

Dhoni and Rayudu are up against Nortje, Tushar and KG. Nortje has two and the others one each. SIX! Rayudu hammers this length ball for six. Width on offer and Rayudu cashes in. GONE!!! BIG WICKET. MS Dhoni is out caught behind. Ravi Jadeja is the new man in. It’s a luxury to have a pace attack comprising KG and AN. Rayudu finishes the over with a boundary. 12 runs and a wicket.

Marcus Stoinis has been introduced into the attack. He will bowl at MS Dhoni. This should be interesting. Rayudu and MS trying to go after Stoinis but not succeeding just yet. Doing it in singles at the moment…  SIX!  There’s the big hit. Gives Stoinis the charge and lofts it over long-on for six. A single to end the over. 10 from it. CSK 122/3 after 16 Overs.

KG Rabada is back into the attack. Faf collects a streaky boundary. Doesn’t matter how they come as long as they come. Meanwhile, Rabada is cranking up the pace. Everything north of 140 so far. He gets a wicket! Dhawan makes amends and Faf has to depart. Two set batsmen are now back in the hut. He falls for 58. MS Dhoni is in the house. End of a successful over – just seven runs and a wicket. CSK 112/3 after 15 Overs.

Ravi Ashwin is back into the attack. SIX! Rayudu brings up the team 100 with a maximum over deep mid-wicket. Ashwin has been expensive tonight, thus far. 11 from that over. A single, a six and a couple of twos. CSK 105/2 after 14 Overs.

Second strategic time-out has been taken. Seven overs left. CSK would want a minimum of 170 …

This is why Delhi has dominated this IPL – its bowling attack. Despite being put under the cosh, they find ways to get a wicket. So crucial in a format like T20, where the game can slip away from you in the blink of an eye. Anyway, Axar to bowl out. DROPPED! Faf has been dropped by Dhawan. Axar deserved a wicket but alas… Five singles and a brace to end his spell – 40-23-0. CSK 94/2 after 13 Overs.

Here comes Anrich Nortje. Delhi clearly unsettled by this pair. A 144.4 kmph delivery is pushed towards long-on for a single by Watto. Fifty for Faf and this has been a fine innings from the former South African captain – has clearly been CSK’s best batsman this season. GONE! There’s the wicket and it’s that man again, Nortje! Breaks the 87-run stand by cleaning up Watto. Rayudu is the new batsman at the crease. He is greeted by a 148 kmph delivery. No run. Solid defence. Two runs and a wicket. CSK 87/2 after 12 Oers.

Tushar Deshpande [2.0-0-12-1] is back into the attack. WHAM! How’s that for a welcome – Du Plessis has hammered this overpitched delivery over long-off for six. Four more – low full toss and Faf has hit it over short fine leg for four. 14 from the over. Faf is on 49. CSK 85/1 after 11 Overs.

Faf’s in bit of discomfort here. Needs attention. The CSK physio is out in the middle.  He is fine now… Ashwin to continue. Faf and Watto trying to up the ante now as they collect a boundary each off Ash. And Watto ends the over with yet another boundary – good over for CSK – 15 from it. CSK 71/1 after 10 Overs.

These two wouldn’t want to get into a shell, not against this Delhi attack. By the looks of it, it will be Faf who will take charge and Watto will try and bat through. Meanwhile, the first strategic time-out in the match. Axar into his third over. Watson brings up the fifty stand with a boundary. Nine from it in the end. CSK 56/1 after 9 Overs.

Ravichandran Ashwin, right-arm off break, comes into the attack. Delhi won’t be desperate for a wicket just yet. Tidy start from the Chennai lad. Watson and Faf dealing in singles against DC’s spinners. Just four singles from it in the end. Last two overs have gone for just eight. CSK 47/1 after 8 Overs.

Axar Patel [1.0-0-3-0] is back into the attack. Another good over from Axar. Only four singles from it. This is the kind of wicket he would like bowling on. Slightly on the slower side tonight. CSK 43/1 after 7 Overs.

Kagiso Rabada [1.0-1-0-0] is back into the attack.  A dot followed by a single to short mid-wicket for Watto. Another dot. FOUR! Du Plessis is switching gears here and he is going after Delhi’s two pace spearheads – after getting stuck into Nortje, it’s KG’s turn as Faf clobbers a pull over mid-wicket for four. Watson feels left out, says ‘I’m there too’, as he collects a boundary to square third man. 10 from this over. CSK fighting back in Powerplay after that early jitter. CSK 39/1 after 6 Overs.

SIX! Faf welcomes his fellow countryman Nortje into the attack with a premeditated hit for six. And again, Faf steps out to Nortje for no run. Aggressive intent from the former SA skipper. FOUR more! This time through deep mid-wicket. Du Plessis putting the pressure back on Nortje. Faf is trying to unsettle Nortje and it has worked so far. And another boundary to end the over, this one’s through sweeper cover. 14 from it. CSK 29/1 after 5 Overs.

Axar Patel, Left arm orthodox, comes into the attack. He has been extremely miserly in this tournament. Mark Nicholas waxing lyricals about Axar and his control. Much deserved one would say. Great start from Axar. Just three singles from it in the end. CSK 15/1 after 4 Overs.

Tushar continues. Some extra movement on offer but he errs in line and concedes a wide. Excellent start from DC. Good comeback from the Mumbaikar. Two successive dots. Beautiful from Watson as he breaks the shackles with a glorious straight drive. Right off the middle of the bat. SHOT! Short ball from Tushar and Watto has pulled that with disdain for four. 10 from the over. CSK  12/1 after 3 Overs.

Kagiso Rabada, right-arm fast, comes into the attack. A slip in place for Watson. Two dots to start his spell. Make that three in a row. KG’s already working up some good pace. The second delivery was clocked at 142 kmph. Another dot. Brilliant from KG. A maiden to get started. CSK 2/1 after 2 Overs.

Sam Curran and Faf du Plessis to open the innings. Sam will take strike. Tushar Deshpande will start proceedings with the new ball. A slip in place. A dot to start the game. Interesting call from DC. Tushar taking the new ball. Whoa. Sam steps out … stays leg side and tries to hit it toward off-side but a dot. WICKET! Disastrous start for CSK. Sam Curran departs. Tushar strikes. Shane Watson is in next. Faf on strike, the batters crossed. Still no runs on the board. First runs as Faf takes a couple off the last ball. CSK 2/1 after 1 Over.

We are all set for action to begin. There have been seven 200+ totals i Sharjah but they’ve been on the wane lately. Will Chennai buck the trend and put up a big total? The Chennai openers will be wary of Delhi’s pace attack – Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. Not to forget, their spin attack comprising in-form Axar Patel and the experienced Ravi Ashwin.

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TOSS UPDATE:  MS Dhoni has won the toss and Chennai will bat first. Kedar Jadhav replaces Piyush Chawla in playing XI.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tushar Deshpande, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma

PITCH REPORT: “This pitch hasn’t taken as much turn as the other one. You want to bowl when it (ball) is brand new, that would be the key, it’ll skid on a little bit, will be relatively quick. Great deck to bat on, win the toss and have a bat,” reckons Simon Doull.

Five minutes to go for the toss. Buckle up, folks. Good news from the Delhi camp. Skipper Shreyas Iyer is fit for tonight’s game. If Pant’s situation hasn’t improved, expect the same playing XI as last match as far as Delhi is concerned.

Right then, we are 30 minutes away from the toss. Huge game this for Chennai. Every game from hereon is more or less a must win for Dhoni’s men. On the other hand, Delhi, despite being comfortably placed in the points table, wouldn’t want overconfidence to seep into that buoyant dressing room of theirs. Will be interesting to see MS Dhoni’s tactics tonight. Will he play two leggies, will Sam Curran open? Will there be a change to the playing XI?

BUILD-UP

For the fantasy cricket players out there, here are our predicted XIs for both CSK and DC. – READ

This was Chennai’s last playing XI from the win over SRH: Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma, Piyush Chawla. Will CSK name an unchanged XI today?

Delhi Capitals strangled the Super Kings in this season’s earlier meeting. But how has the Delhi-outfit featured against the three-time champion over the years?

With their backs to the wall, Chennai Super Kings finally got its third win against Sunrisers Hyderabad to keep its hopes alive in the competition. On Saturday it will take on the in-form side Delhi Capitals in Sharjah. Here’s our preview for tonight’s encounter – READ

The two teams have faced each other 22 times in the IPL so far, and CSK holds a 15-7 head-to-head win/loss record over DC – READ

He has been instrumental in Mumbai winning its first Vijay Hazare Trophy title in more than a decade. He has represented India A as well. But Tushar Deshpande started trending on social media only after his Indian Premier League debut for Delhi Capitals. All you need to know about him – READ

The Twenty20 format is brutal on the bowlers and the suggestion to divide the 20 overs between four bowlers — each allowed to bowl five — is hardly going to make it a level playing field, feels Sunil Gavaskar. Here’s his latest column – READ

The IPL offers an opportunity for the rookies to showcase their wares against and alongside some of the finest in the game, while legends of the game watch from the coaching sidelines – READ

Follow our special interview series – Tissot presents Sportstar Extras T20 Time.

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WHERE TO WATCH IPL 2020 – CSK vs DC LIVE?

The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports network in India on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 1 Hindi. It will be live streamed on Star’s video on demand platform Disney+Hotstar.