Six-hitting Samson too strong for Starc's Capitals

Sanju Samson, the man who spearheaded India's T20 World Cup triumph, has again flexed his muscular hitting as he led Chennai Super Kings to an easy victory over Mitchell Starc's Delhi Capitals.

The opener dominated a low-scoring match, his 87 not out more than twice the next-best score as CSK won by eight wickets with 15 balls to spare.

Starc escaped fairy lightly, his 16 deliveries at Samson going for 14, including a wide with two fours. But more significant was he failed to dismiss the batter in his opening burst – because if you don't get Samson early, you are in trouble.

So far this IPL he has been dismissed for less than 12 runs six times in ten innings, but in the others he has made 115no, 101no, 48, and now 87no.

"I have been working a bit on my initial movement and it has been coming off," Samson said. 

"I had to be a bit too selfish to get a hundred so I thought let's win the game ... finishing not out, winning the game gives you more satisfaction."

For almost everyone else the pitch looked difficult. Capitals made 7-155, a modest score by Indian Premier League standards. Sameer Rizvi (40no) and Tristan Stubbs (38) were the only players to pass 20 with spinners Akeal Hosein (1-19) and Noor Ahmad (2-22) exerting a stranglehold.

The home side had early hope when they dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad (6) and Urvil Patel (17) to leave CSK 2-45 in the seventh over and behind the rate.

Samson was then on 15, scoring at less than a run-a-ball, but ominously still there.

Kartik Sharma, 20 years old late last month, joined him and was the perfect foil. The pair gradually accelerated as they reeled in the target with a partnership of 114 off 66 balls.

Samson hit six sixes and Kartik, who finished with 41no off 31 balls, cleared the rope twice.

Starc, who is still feeling his way back to match sharpness – this was his second outing since January after suffering shoulder and elbow injuries – ended with 0-30 off his four overs.

His team are now seventh, four points off the playoff pack with four matches to play. CSK are one spot above them with two points more.

IPL 2026 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Punjab Kings KXI	9	6	2	0	1	0.855	0	13
2 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Men RCB	9	6	3	0	0	1.42	0	12
3 Sunrisers Hyderabad SUN	10	6	4	0	0	0.644	0	12
4 Rajasthan Royals RAJ	10	6	4	0	0	0.51	0	12
5 Gujarat Titans GUT	10	6	4	0	0	-0.147	0	12
6 Chennai Super Kings CSK	10	5	5	0	0	0.151	0	10
7 Delhi Capitals Men DEL	10	4	6	0	0	-0.949	0	8
8 Kolkata Knight Riders KKR	9	3	5	0	1	-0.539	0	7
9 Mumbai Indians MI	10	3	7	0	0	-0.649	0	6
10 Lucknow Super Giants LSG	9	2	7	0	0	-1.076	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points

Australians in IPL 2026

Chennai Super Kings: Matt Short ($255k), Spencer Johnson ($255k, replaces Nathan Ellis ($340k))

Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Starc ($2m)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.13m), Tim David ($510k)

Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis ($1.9m), Ben Dwarshuis ($745k), Mitchell Owen ($510k), Cooper Connolly ($510k), Xavier Bartlett ($136k)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Cameron Green ($3.5m)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.5m), Travis Head ($2.38m), Jack Edwards ($510k, withdrawn)

Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis ($1.49m), Mitchell Marsh ($578k)