Samson ton leads Chennai to its first IPL win and Punjab chases down Hyderabad's 219

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Sanju Samson's first century for his new team helped Chennai Super Kings to their first win in the Indian Premier League as Delhi Capitals were beaten by 23 runs on Saturday.

Samson blasted 115 not out off 56 balls in his fourth game for Chennai, helping the side notch 212-2.

After his onslaught of 15 boundaries and four sixes, Delhi was bowled out for 189. Jamie Overton picked 4-18 in four overs.

Delhi remained fourth in the table after its second loss in four games. Chennai was ninth in the 10-team league.

Earlier in Chandigarh, skipper Shreyas Iyer hit five sixes in scoring 69 not out off 33 balls as Punjab Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets.

Punjab achieved its second highest successful chase in the IPL with 223-4 in 18.5 overs. Openers Priyansh Arya (57) and Prabhsimran Singh (51) gave Punjab a rollicking start.

Iyer then took center stage as Punjab won for a third time in four games.

Hyderabad racked up 219-6 on the back of Abhishek Sharma's 74 off 28 balls, with five fours and eight sixes.

Put into bat, Chennai scored a slow 62 before losing its first wicket. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad used 18 balls for 15 runs.

Teenager Ayush Mhatre compensated with 59 off 36 — his second half-century of the season — including three fours and four sixes. He added 62 off 38 with Samson, who reached 50 off 26 with nine fours. Samson then accelerated to his fourth IPL hundred off another 26 balls, this time hitting three sixes.

Mhatre retired so Chennai could find more momentum in the death overs. Shivam Dube added 20 off 10 but Chennai managed only 52 runs in the last five overs.

It was too much for Delhi though. Pathum Nissanka contributed 41 off 24 but Overton hit the middle order and took out Sameer Rizvi and David Miller cheaply. Skipper Axar Patel, at No. 4, fell for 1.

Tristan Stubbs raised hopes with 60 off 38 including three sixes but he waged a lone battle.

Beside Overton, Anshul Kamboj picked 3-35.

Chasing 220, Punjab openers Arya and Singh scored 93 runs in the powerplay. They hit 50 off 21 balls and the next 50 off only 18 balls.

Arya brought up his 50 off 16 balls with four sixes and five boundaries, the second quickest IPL half-century for Punjab. Arya took 21 runs off Harshal Patel in the sixth over.

Singh scored 50 off 24 balls with four sixes.

Left-arm wrist spinner Shivang Kumar (3-33) got a double breakthrough — Arya was caught at deep midwicket in the seventh over, and two overs later Singh was caught at long off.

Iyer took over, scoring 54 off 21 in a partnership of 69 off 35 with impact substitute Nehal Wadhera.

Iyer stayed unbeaten to the end as Punjab crossed the finish line with seven balls to spare.

Earlier, Hyderabad openers Sharma and Travis Head were also remarkable. They scored 105 runs in the powerplay.

Together, the teams hit 16 sixes in the powerplays, an IPL record for a single game.

Sharma smashed 50 off only 18 balls with five sixes. Head scored 38 off 23 and both openers were dismissed in the space of three balls by Shashank Singh's medium pace in the ninth over.

Head was caught at long on, and two balls later Sharma was caught at deep cover.

Hyderabad crossed 200 but Punjab pulled off a third successful chase this season.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Chennai Super Kings' Sanju Samson celebrates his century during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Sunrisers Hyderabad's Shivang Kumar celebrates the dismissal of Punjab Kings' Cooper Connolly during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh, India, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo)

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh, India, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo)

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh, India, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo)

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal secured Barcelona's 4-1 win over Espanyol after setting up Ferran Torres for a double and the La Liga leaders took another step toward retaining the title on Saturday.

Yamal passed for Ferran to score in the 10th and 25th minutes before the teenage phenom ensured the victory in the 87th with Espanyol threatening to equalize. Marcus Rashford made it four for the hosts at Camp Nou in the 89th.

Barcelona capitalized on Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw at home to Girona on Friday to increase its lead to nine points over its top rival with seven rounds remaining.

Barcelona and Madrid will try to overcome losses in the Champions League quarterfinals in their next games after Barcelona lost to Atletico Madrid 2-0 and Madrid fell to Bayern Munich 2-1 this week.

While Madrid will travel to Germany on a three-game winless streak, Barcelona’s attack is clicking as it heads to Spain’s capital needing a big win to advance to the European semifinals.

Barcelona’s fans chanted “Yes we can!” after the match with its team playing at Atletico on Tuesday.

“It is not over until it is over, things can happen, but it is true that it depends on us,” Ferran said about Barcelona’s bid to repeat as Spanish champion. “Now we can focus on the Champions League game.”

The 18-year-old Yamal leads Barcelona both in goals (22) and assists (18) across all competitions this season.

Ferran started the season in good form, scoring 16 goals among more starts than aging star Robert Lewandowski. While lacking the clinical scoring touch of the Poland striker, Ferran provided more movement, speed and linked up well with Yamal and his midfielders.

But Ferran then hit a slump and had not scored since Jan. 31.

His goalless run stretched across 13 games in all competitions and finally ended on Saturday when Yamal delivered a corner kick to the far post where Ferran leapt over Carlos Romero and nodded it home.

Ferran celebrated his first goal by gesturing with his hands as if they were talking, apparently in reference to the talk in the sports press and social media about his scoring troubles.

He made it a brace when he used a subtle touch to roll a pass by Yamal under on-rushing goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.

Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano put the result in doubt when he used one touch to fire in a rebound of a loose ball to make it 2-1 in the 56th. Roberto Fernández then came within inches of reaching a cross by Lozano in the goalmouth.

But Yamal finished off the Catalan derby when Dmitrovic tried to clear a long pass but ended up knocking it off Yamal, who only had to push the ball into the open net.

“The final score was too lopsided for the game we saw,” said coach Manolo González, whose Espanyol remained in 10th. “We had our chances and their first three goals were from our defensive mistakes.”

Rashford got his goal when he was set up by fellow substitute Frenkie de Jong, who made his first appearance in over a month after the Netherlands midfielder recovered from a right leg injury.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, centre, controls the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal with Lamine Yamal, left, and Fermin Lopez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after Ferran Torres, right, scored their side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)