Chennai Super Kings are back on track in the IPL, with their reliable opener Sanju Samson regaining form at just the right time as the team builds momentum. So far this season, Samson has scored two centuries and amassed 402 runs in 10 innings.In his yesterday’s match against Delhi Capitals, he smashed an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls, which helped CSK secure an 8-wicket win and he won the Player of the Match. He also scripted history and became the the first batter ever to be part of two hundred-plus partnerships against the Delhi Capitals in a single edition of the tournament.
Chennai Super Kings kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominant eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on May 5 in IPL 2026. After restricting DC to 155/7 on a sluggish surface, CSK chased the target comfortably in just 17.3 overs.The Capitals struggled throughout their innings despite late resistance from Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs after a middle-order collapse left them reeling at 69/5. CSK’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad, never allowed DC to build momentum.In reply, Sanju Samson produced a composed unbeaten 87 off 52 balls, anchoring the chase with authority. Youngster Kartik Sharma provided excellent support as the duo stitched together an unbeaten century partnership of 114 runs to seal a comfortable win for CSK with 15 balls to spare. The defeat pushed Delhi closer to elimination, while CSK climbed back into playoff contention sitting in 5th position after a strong late-season.
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What has been the key reason for CSK’s comeback in IPL 2026?
This was Sanju Samson’s second 100-plus partnership of the season which came against the same team, Delhi Capitals. It was the fifth 100-run partnership for Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Capitals, but Sanju Samson stood out by becoming the first batter to be involved in two century partnerships against DC in the same IPL season. Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad holds the record for featuring in the most 100-run stands against Delhi overall, with three such partnerships across different seasons: 2021, 2022 and 2023.
| Partners | Runs | Wicket | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruturaj Gaikwad & Devon Conway | 141 | 1st | Chennai Super Kings | vs Delhi Capitals | Delhi | 20-May-2023 |
| Sanju Samson & Kartik Sharma | 114* | 3rd | Chennai Super Kings | vs Delhi Capitals | Delhi | 5-May-2026 |
| Sanju Samson & Ayush Mhatre | 113 | 2nd | Chennai Super Kings | vs Delhi Capitals | Chennai | 11-Apr-2026 |
| Robin Uthappa & Ruturaj Gaikwad | 110 | 2nd | Chennai Super Kings | vs Delhi Capitals | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | 10-Oct-2021 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad & Devon Conway | 110 | 1st | Chennai Super Kings | vs Delhi Capitals | DY Patil Stadium | 8-May-2022 |
