IPL 2023: Ruturaj Gaikwad becomes player with 2nd most fifty-plus scores for CSK as opener

New Delhi [India], May 21 (ANI): Young Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Ruturaj Gaikwad continues re-writing record books, as he became the batter with the second-highest fifty-plus scores for his franchise on Saturday.
Gaikwad accomplished this feat during his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
In the match, Gaikwad scored 79 in just 50 balls. His knock consisted of three boundaries and seven sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 158.00.
In 50 matches of his IPL career, which has seen him play for CSK since 2020, Gaikwad has scored 1,711 runs at an average of 38.88 and a strike rate of 135.15. He has scored one century and 13 half-centuries, which is a total of 14 fifty-plus knocks, the second highest by a CSK player.
In this season, Ruturaj is the second-highest run-scorer for CSK and seventh-highest overall, with 504 runs in 13 innings at an average of 42.00 with three fifties.
Du Plessis has scored a total of 20 fifty-plus scores for CSK in his IPL career, all of them being half-centuries. 16 of these came as an opening batter. He holds the record for most fifty-plus scores by a CSK opener. He has scored 4,105 runs in his IPL career, out of which 2,721 runs came for CSK during 2011-15 and 2018-21.
Mike Hussey, the legendary Australian batter who scored 1,768 runs for CSK in 49 matches at an average of 42.10, has 13 half-centuries to his name as a CSK opener too.
In the match, CSK posted 223/3 in their 20 overs. Conway (87 in 52 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes) and Gaikwad (79 in 50 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) stitched a 141-run opening stand while valuable cameos came from Shivam Dube (22 in 9 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (20* in seven balls). Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya and Anrich Nortje got a wicket each.
In the chase of 224, skipper David Warner (86 off 58 balls, with seven fours and five sixes) found himself short of any support from the other end and DC could score only 146/9 in their 20 overs.
Deepak Chahar (3/22) was the pick of the bowlers for CSK. Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana took two wickets while Jadeja and Tushar Deshpande got a wicket each.
Gaikwad clinched the 'Player of the Match' for his fifty.
CSK has qualified for the playoffs. They finish the league stage in second position with eight wins, five losses and no result in 14 games. They have a total of 17 points. DC finish their campaign with five wins and nine losses in 14 games, with a total of 10 points. They are currently at the ninth position in the points table. (ANI).