NEW DELHI: Three-time champions Chennai Super Kings produced a clinical performance to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets and reclaim the top spot on the points table on Friday.
Here are the key highlights from the match:
TOSS WAS DELAYED: The mouth-watering clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings was delayed by 30 minutes due to a sandstorm in Sharjah. The action started 15 minutes late at 7:45 pm IST. CSK captain MS Dhoni had won the toss and elected to field against the Virat Kohli-led RCB.

Image credit: BCCI/IPL
VIRAT KOHLI & DEVDUTT PADIKKAL GAVE RCB A FLYING START: Captain Virat Kohli and Karnataka star batsman Devdutt Padikkal gave Royal Challengers Bangalore a blazing start. They shifted to launch mode from the word go. Kohli scored a brilliant 53 off 41 balls, including 6 fours and 1 six, while Padikkal hammered 3 sixes and 5 fours in his 70 off 50 balls innings. The duo put on 111 runs for the opening wicket.

Virat Kohli (Runs 53 | Balls: 41 | 4s: 6 | 6s: 1)

Devdutt Padikkal (Runs 70 | Balls: 50 | 4s: 5 | 6s: 3)
BRAVO AND SHARDUL LED CSK FIGHT BACK: Chennai Super Kings’ all-rounder Dwayne Bravo got the crucial and much needed first breakthrough in the 14th over when he dismissed Virat Kohli for 50 runs. And that’s when the tide turned. After Kohli was sent back, Shardul dismissed AB de Villiers (12) and Padikkal (70) in quick succession and brought CSK back into the game. Bravo, then, removed Glenn Maxwell (11) and Harshal Patel (3) to help CSK restrict RCB to 156/6 in their 20 overs. That after they were very comfortably placed at 111/0 in 13.1 overs.

Dwayne Bravo (BCCI/IPL Photo)
FAF AND RUTURAJ GAVE CSK A FLYING START: Chasing RCB’s 156, openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis gave Chennai Super Kings a solid start. Gaikwad (38 runs off 26 balls) and Du Plessis (31 runs off 26 balls) took CSK to 71/0 in 8.1 overs. And that put CSK well and truly in the driver’s seat.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (Runs 38 | Balls: 26 | 4s: 4 | 6s: 1)
CSK OPENERS FELL IN QUICK SUCCESSION: But RCB hit back by removing Gaikwad and Du Plessis in quick succession right after. The score suddenly went from 71/0 to 71/2. Yuzvendra Chahal deceived Gaikwad with flight and turn. Gaikwad attempted a drive but got a thick edge and Kohli, who was fielding at backward point, dived forward and took a brilliant catch. Du Plessis then tried to play a sweep off Glenn Maxwell, but got a top edge and gave an easy catch to Navdeep Saini at short fine leg as the brakes were applied on the CSK innings.
AMBATI RAYUDU & MOEEN ALI KEPT CSK CHASE ON TRACK AFTER DOUBLE BLOW: CSK at that stage needed a solid partnership and Moeen Ali (23) and Ambati Rayudu (32) gave the yellow brigade just that. The duo put on a 47-run stand for the third wicket. Both batsmen were eventually dismissed by Harshal Patel, but Suresh Raina (17) and MS Dhoni (11) ensured there were no more setbacks, as CSK completed a 6 wicket win in 18.1 overs to register their second win in as many matches in phase 2 of IPL 2021.