CSK vs DC Match 18 IPL 2026 — Result, Scorecard & Samson 115* Report

Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Capitals by 23 runs in IPL 2026 Match 18 at MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), Chennai on 11 April 2026 — CSK's first win of the season, powered by a stunning Sanju Samson hundred on his Chepauk debut. Below: full scorecard, playing XIs, match summary, pitch recap and the Dhoni injury angle.

Result — CSK won by 23 runs

Team	Score	Overs
Chennai Super Kings	212/2	20
Delhi Capitals	189	20

Player of the Match: Sanju Samson (115* off 56, 15×4, 4×6).

Top performers

CSK innings:

• Sanju Samson — 115* off 56 (15 fours, 4 sixes) — his 4th IPL century and first in CSK colours, on debut at Chepauk.
• Ayush Mhatre — 59 off 36 (3 fours, 4 sixes) — supporting role that set the platform.

DC innings:

• Tristan Stubbs — 60 off 38 — top-scorer, kept DC in the chase until the middle overs.
• Pathum Nissanka — 41 off 24 — fluent start before falling to CSK's spin.

CSK's 212/2 proved far too much for DC on a surface that held together well. Samson's knock — his first CSK century and first IPL hundred since moving from Rajasthan Royals — is already being called one of the defining innings of the tournament's opening fortnight.

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Match 18 at a glance

Detail	Info
Match	CSK vs DC, IPL 2026 — Match 18
Date	Saturday, 11 April 2026
Venue	MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), Chennai
Format	T20, Indian Premier League 2026
Result	CSK won by 23 runs

Coming into this match, CSK had lost all three of their opening IPL 2026 fixtures and were bottom of the points table. DC arrived fourth with 2 wins from 3. The 23-run result swung both teams: CSK finally on the board, DC's momentum broken.

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Dhoni status — then and now

At Match 18 (11 April 2026): MS Dhoni did not play. He was still recovering from the calf muscle strain that had kept him out of every CSK IPL 2026 fixture up to that point. CSK had targeted a possible return at the KKR home fixture on 14 April.

Update — 17 April 2026: Dhoni did not clear the fitness test for the KKR game either and remains out. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has publicly stated there is "no fixed timeline" for his return. See our full Dhoni injury update for the latest, and track his full season milestone countdown on the MS Dhoni Final IPL Season Tracker.

Dewald Brevis, declared fit ahead of the DC clash, did play in the middle order.

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Where to watch CSK vs DC live (India)

• TV: Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Tamil)
• Live streaming: JioHotstar app and website — free mobile streaming for IPL 2026 in India
• Live scorecard: Official iplt20.com Match 18 page
• Live commentary: ESPNcricinfo and the IPL app

Tamil broadcast is especially popular for Chepauk fixtures — Star Sports 1 Tamil carries the full game with regional commentary.

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Playing XIs — as fielded on the night

Chennai Super Kings (without Dhoni)

The CSK XI featured Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain, Ayush Mhatre, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis and a rotation of Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana and Matt Henry. With Dhoni ruled out, CSK used an Impact Sub keeper and leaned heavily on Samson's ability to play the WK-batter role at the top.

The call of the night: opening with Samson. It paid off spectacularly — he carried his bat for 115*.

Delhi Capitals playing XI

1. Jake Fraser-McGurk
2. Abhishek Porel
3. KL Rahul (wk)
4. Tristan Stubbs
5. Axar Patel (c)
6. Sameer Rizvi
7. Ashutosh Sharma
8. Kuldeep Yadav
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Mukesh Kumar
11. Lungi Ngidi / Harry Brook slot depending on balance

DC backups: Mitchell Marsh, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Sumit Kumar.

Final XIs are confirmed at toss. Follow the live match center link below for the confirmed team sheets.

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Live scorecard & ball-by-ball

For live ball-by-ball updates, wagon wheels and Manhattan charts, head to the ESPNcricinfo live match blog for CSK vs DC Match 18 or the iplt20.com match center. Both feeds update in near real time.

Track the IPL 2026 points table live to see how a CSK win (or another loss) reshapes the playoff picture.

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Pitch report — MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai (Chepauk)

Chepauk is the most spin-friendly venue in the IPL. Key characteristics for the night game:

• Surface: Dry, gripping red-soil pitch
• Average 1st innings score (night): 165–180
• Powerplay behaviour: New ball skids on; early overs favour the bat
• Middle overs: Massive turn for wrist spin and SLA — the phase Kuldeep Yadav and Noor Ahmad will dominate
• Death overs: Pitch slows, mistiming becomes the biggest wicket-taker
• Dew factor: High under lights — chasing is strongly favoured at Chepauk in the night slot
• Toss call: Captain winning the toss is almost certain to bowl first

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Head-to-head — CSK vs DC in IPL

CSK have historically owned this fixture, particularly at Chepauk where their spinners are near-unplayable on the slow surface. DC have won a handful of away games but rarely under lights in Chennai. For the full all-time number-crunch, see our CSK vs DC all-time comparison and the IPL head-to-head stats hub.

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Key players to watch

Chennai Super Kings

• Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) — With Dhoni out, Ruturaj is carrying both the captaincy burden and the run-scoring load.
• Dewald Brevis — Just declared fit. The South African could be the middle-order catalyst CSK have been missing.
• Ayush Mhatre — Young CSK prospect who is forcing his way into the XI. Breakout query trending alongside this match.
• Noor Ahmad — Afghan wrist spinner; on Chepauk, he is a matchup nightmare for DC's left-hand heavy top order.
• Matt Henry — CSK's Kiwi new-ball enforcer. Full profile: Matt Henry CSK IPL 2026 guide.
• Matheesha Pathirana — Death-overs yorker specialist.

Delhi Capitals

• KL Rahul (wk) — Leading DC's run charts; expected to anchor in the top order.
• Axar Patel (c) — Captain and left-arm spin option — crucial at Chepauk where spin dominates.
• Kuldeep Yadav — Likely the most dangerous bowler on show. Chepauk is wrist spin heaven.
• Jake Fraser-McGurk — Powerplay accelerator. If he clicks, DC are already 60+ in 5 overs.
• Mitchell Starc — Left-arm pace at the death; matchup weapon against CSK's right-hand middle order.

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Fantasy Dream11 angle

Quick Dream11 reads for CSK vs DC Match 18:

• Captain options: KL Rahul (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC)
• Must-picks (spin): Noor Ahmad, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel — stack the spinners
• Death-overs: Matheesha Pathirana, Mitchell Starc
• Differential: Dewald Brevis on his comeback — low ownership, high ceiling
• Avoid: Any CSK keeper slot other than Dhoni's replacement (low floor)

For the full team build, captain/vice-captain matrix and budget picks, see the full CSK vs DC Dream11 prediction for Match 18.

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FAQs

Did MS Dhoni play CSK vs DC Match 18? No. MS Dhoni missed the match on 11 April 2026 due to an ongoing calf muscle strain. As of 17 April, Dhoni also missed the CSK vs KKR home fixture on 14 April and remains without a fixed return date.

What was the result of CSK vs DC Match 18? CSK beat DC by 23 runs. CSK posted 212/2 (Samson 115* off 56, Mhatre 59 off 36) and DC were restricted to 189 (Stubbs 60 off 38, Nissanka 41 off 24). Sanju Samson was Player of the Match.

Where is CSK vs DC being played? The match is at the MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in Chennai, CSK's home ground.

Is Dewald Brevis playing vs DC? Yes. Dewald Brevis has been declared fit and is expected to play CSK vs DC Match 18 in the middle order.

Who is CSK's captain in IPL 2026? Ruturaj Gaikwad captains Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026. Axar Patel captains Delhi Capitals.

Where can I watch CSK vs DC highlights? Full match highlights are available on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar app & website. The live match blog and ball-by-ball scorecard remain archived on ESPNcricinfo and the IPLT20.com match page linked above.

What is the toss favourite at Chepauk? With high dew at night games in April, chasing is strongly favoured at Chepauk — the captain winning the toss is almost certain to bowl first.

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Keep reading

• Sanju Samson's Padayappa salute explained — the Rajinikanth tribute
• Who is Ayush Mhatre? CSK's 18-year-old opener profile
• Tristan Stubbs — DC's IPL 2026 breakout you're missing
• Is MS Dhoni playing vs DC? Full IPL 2026 injury update
• Matt Henry — CSK's Kiwi pacer IPL 2026 guide
• CSK vs DC Dream11 Match 18 prediction
• CSK squad analysis IPL 2026
• MS Dhoni final IPL season 2026
• Dhoni Tracker — milestones & match-by-match
• IPL 2026 schedule
• IPL 2026 points table