CSK beat RCB, back on top of the table
Sharjah, September 24, 2021
Chennai Super Kings banked on a super performance by their bowlers in the last 10 overs to pull back Royal Challengers Bangalore after a good start as they registered a well-deserved six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sharjah Cricket Ground here on Friday.
With skipper Virat Kohli (53) and Devdutt Padikkal (70) going great runs, RCB, asked to bat first by CSK skipper MS Dhoni, raced to hundred for no loss. But they were reeled in by CSK who came back strongly in the last ten overs to restrict them to 156/7 in 20 overs.
Dwayne Bravo claimed three wickets for 24 runs and Shardul Thakur, with two wickets off two balls, finished with 2/29.
Chasing 157, Chennai too got off to a good start and cruised to victory at 157/4 in 18.1 overs. Ruturaj Gaikwad (38) and Faf du Plessis (31) put on 71 for the first wicket, hitting some superb shots around the wicket. However, both Gaikwad and du Plessis got out on the same score.
It looked like CSK will lose their way just like RCB did earlier in the evening but Ambati Rayudu (32) and Moieen Ali (23) steadied the ship, peppering their knocks with three big hits, two of them by Ali, and by the time both of them were out, Chennai was 133/4 and cruising towards victory.
Suresh Raina (17) and MS Dhoni (11) helped them across the line without much trouble.
With this win, Chennai Super Kings moved back to the top of the table with 14 points, the same as Delhi Capitals but ahead on net run rate.
Earlier, Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Virat Kohli gave RCB a rollicking start to reach 90 for no loss in the first ten overs before Thakur and Bravo swung into action.
Kohli slammed Deepak Chahar for back-to-back boundaries off the first two balls of the innings before Padikkal ended the opening over with a gorgeous cover drive. With the ball not doing much, Kohli and Padikkal were able to give Bangalore a blistering start, racing to 55 for no loss at the end of power-play with Deepak Chahar conceding 23 runs in two overs.
Padikkal was the first to reach his half-century, completing it in 35 balls with a boundary off Chahar in the 12th over. The boundary also brought a century for the opening partnership. It was also the second century stand between Kohli and Padikkal in the tournament after an unbeaten 181 against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai.
In the next over, Kohli reached his half-century, flicking Ravindra Jadeja through fine leg for a boundary. Kohli, who was at 33 off 21 balls at the end of the power-play, managed to get 20 runs off 20 balls before hitting straight to deep mid-wicket off Dwayne Bravo in the 14th over, ending the century stand at 111.
After Kohli's dismissal, Chennai slowed down the run scoring despite Padikkal and AB de Villiers hitting a six each. Shardul Thakur made a big strike with de Villiers miscuing a slice and the top-edge flying to Suresh Raina at extra cover. One brought two for Thakur as Padikkal's pre-mediated ramp went to the hands of Bravo at short third man.
Debutant Tim David miscued a loft to Raina at extra cover, giving Chahar his first scalp of the match. Glenn Maxwell tried to give his team a big flourish, but miscued a slog to long-on in the final over off Bravo. Bravo dismissed Harshal Patel on the final ball of the innings to complete a last ten overs (66 runs for six wickets) fightback from Chennai.
IANS
