The Chennai Super Kings rolled over the Delhi Daredevils with an impressive debut from Lungi Ngidi who conceded just 26 runs from his four overs.
The 22-year-old quick, a surprise pick in the IPL auction with just three T20Is on his CV, was given his debut for the Super Kings just three days after rejoining the team after the death of his father in mid-April. It ended with a 13-run win as the Daredevils tried to chase 212 for victory.
Given the task of opening the bowling, Ngidi was unfazed by the hype and excitement in the Pune cauldron, conceding just one run in his opening over and six in the second.
In a series where the powerplay is targeted, seven runs from two overs was hugely impressive.
Ngidi came back in the 18th over to remove the Daredevils’ top-scorer, Rishabh Pant (79), and might have had another when Vijay Shankar top-edged a pull that just eluded keeper MS Dhoni.
The game was beyond the Daredevils in the last over, but Ngidi pushed hard, giving away two wides and 14 runs, which damaged his figures.
That impossible total had been set up with a solid base of 96 at the halfway stage by Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson.
Three wickets in 21 balls and some tight bowling had reined in the scoring rate, but Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu slipped from the grip and whacked 71 off the last five overs.
Du Plessis, brought in to bolster the batting after missing two games when the Super Kings favoured Imran Tahir for his spin, was the more passive of the opening partners.
He picked up just three fours and a six in his run-a-ball 33, while the scoring rate was going at 10 an over. Dropped on 30 off a no-ball from Shankar, he then drove straight to long off four balls later.
Suresh Raina went two balls later, but Watson continued on to a dynamic 78 off 40, which included seven sixes and four fours.
Dhoni ended on 51 off 22 balls, with five sixes and two fours while Rayudu, who was run out after being sent back by Dhoni, stayed the IPL’s top-scorer with 41 off 24, with five fours and a six.
