Chennai Super Kings, led by skipper MS Dhoni, put in another masterful T20 performance, to thump the hapless Delhi Daredevils by 33 runs and tighten their grip on first place in the IPL 2013 points table.
Having already secured a place in the playoffs due to the loss suffered by RCB against Kings XI Punjab earlier in the day, CSK went about dismantling the Daredevils with consummate ease in their final home game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The home side posted a solid total of 168 for four, courtesy a belligerent half-century from Dhoni, before restricting the Daredevils to 135 for nine to notch another big win in IPL 2013.
CSK climbed back to the top of the table with their 11th win in 15 games, while the Daredevils remain second from bottom, having suffered a woeful 11 losses in 14.
At the top, Virender Sehwag's woeful form continued unabated, with the right-hander, who was one of the most formidable one-day batsmen in the world during his pomp, gone second ball.
A short and wide delivery from Mohit Sharma only found the edge of Sehwag's bat, with Dhoni completing the catch behind the wicket.
Johan Botha was sent in at No. 3, and the South African and Unmukt Chand looked to take the attack to the CSK bowlers, only for the duo to fall in the space of two overs.
Mohit Sharma (two for 22) was again the man to pick up the wicket, with Chand top-edging one to Jason Holder in the deep.
Botha fell midway through the seventh over, as another top edge, this time off R Ashwin, was taken by Holder at fine-leg.
Kedar Jadhav, who had an awful time keeping wickets in the first innings, making Kamran Akmal look like the best keeper in the world, went for just two, edging to Dhoni off Albie Morkel.
Delhi Daredevils were stuttering on 56 for four from eight overs, and things got worse when Ben Rohrer also walked back to the pavilion, with Morkel picking up another wicket.
Skipper David Warner and Roelof Van Der Merwe put together a decent partnership of 39 from 5.2 overs, as the away side harboured a slight hope of chasing down the target.
Van Der Merwe holed out to Suresh Raina in the deep off Ashwin (two for 19) for a 16-ball 14, though, with the Daredevils still needing 67 from 31.
Warner (44, 37b, 2x4, 1x6) was the lone hope really, but once the Australian holed out to Murali Vijay off Morkel (three for 32), the writing was on the wall for the Daredevils, with Dwayne Bravo (two for 19) picking up a couple of wickets to take ownership of the Purple Cap with 24 wickets in the tournament.
In the first innings, CSK did what they have done pretty much all season, make a solid start before taking advantage in the final ten overs.
Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay put together 61 runs in a little over seven overs for the first wicket, as CSK looked on course for another big total.
There was a slight derailment in their plans, however, with Vijay, Hussey and Suresh Raina falling in the space of 13 runs and 20 deliveries.
First to go was Vijay (31, 23b, 3x4, 1x6), run out courtesy a brilliant direct hit from Ben Rohrer. Two overs later, Hussey (26, 26b, 3x4) was also walking back to the pavilion, top-edging a quick short delivery from Umesh Yadav with Sehwag completing a smart catch.
Raina fell in the next over, finding David Warner at cover while going for a drive off Roelof Van Der Merwe.
Ravindra Jadeja joined MS Dhoni in the middle and the duo made a quickfire 57 from 6.2 overs, as the CSK acceleration began with gusto.
Jadeja (24, 17b, 2x4) was castled by the impressive Yadav (two for 26) in the last ball of the 17th over, but Dhoni continued the hitting with Dwayne Bravo, with Ashish Nehra's 19th over going for two fours and one six, before Yadav again limited the damage in the final over, conceding just eight runs.
Dhoni was of course the top scorer, finishing with 58 from just 35 deliveries, which included two fours and four maximums, as CSK scored 97 runs in the final ten overs to push themselves to a solid score of 168 for four.
