David Warner has kick-started Delhi Capitals' Indian Premier League campaign, setting the platform for an impressive win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings with a quick-fire fifty in Visakhapatnam.
It took a world-class catch to dismiss the 37-year-old opener but he had already set the tone for Capitals after a pair of defeats.
With Prithvi Shaw (43 off 27) Warner had put on 93 at ten-an-over for the first wicket. Rishabh Pant (51 off 32) built on that as Capitals made 5-191, Mitch Marsh chipping in with 18 off 12.
Then, as Ajinkya Rahane (45 off 30) threatened to mastermind an unlikely turnaround, Warner pocketed a catch in the deep to see off his fellow veteran.
Warner smashed three sixes and five fours in his sparkling 35-ball 52. He was undone by a stunning one-handed catch at short fine leg by Matheesha Pathirana as he looked to steer another boundary off Mustafizur Rahman.
CATCH OF IPL 2024...!!!!
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 31, 2024
PATHIRANA, TAKE A BOW. 🔥🤯pic.twitter.com/2WzN2g0JS1
The innings was Warner's 66th half-century in the IPL, seven ahead of the second-best, Virat Kohli.
Marsh also begun with ferocious intent, but was bowled by a superb yorker from Pathirana. The quick also dismissed Pant, and Tristan Stubbs for a second-ball duck, to put the brakes on Delhi's hitting.
However, Khaleel Ahmed dismissed both Chennai openers early on and though MS Dhoni delighted his many fans in the crowd with an unbeaten 16-ball 37-run cameo Super Kings never looked like winning.
They ultimately closed on 6-171, losing by 20 runs, their first defeat of the season.
Earlier the Sunrisers Hyderabad side led by Pat Cummins was well-beaten by Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
The visitors made 8-162 with no batter reaching 30. Travis Head, opening the batting in the same arena in which his magnificent 137 led Australia to victory over India in the 50-over World Cup final in November, fared less well.
He was second out for 19 off 14 balls and despite a late thrash from Abdul Samad (29 off 14) Sunrisers looked short of a par total.
So it proved as Titans eased to victory by seven wickets with five balls to spare. David Miller, despite an apparent muscle injury, clubbed 44 off 27 balls finishing with a six.
Cummins (1-28) held himself back until the 11th over by which time Titans were 2-78. He dismissed Sai Sudharsan (45 off 36) in his third over, but by then Titans were 2-138 and cruising.
"It was a good match but we got 10-15 less," said the Australian. "They bowled well. Losing a couple of wickets meant we couldn't get a batter not making 50-plus. That was the difference. Today it was a case of wanting to start bowling late based on the conditions."
