In a thrilling high-scoring Indian Premier League on Monday, the visiting Chennai Super Kings defeated the hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore with a total of 444 runs scored in 40 overs at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Despite scoring a massive 226 for 6, CSK ultimately defeated RCB by by eight runs to earn their third victory of the year. With six points after the victory, CSK moved up to third place in the standings. The third loss in five games for RCB kept them in seventh place.
Virat Kohli and Mahipal Lomror had returned to the hut as RCB was in trouble at 15/2 in 2 overs while trying to chase down the enormous total. To put RCB in the hunt, captain Faf du Plessis (62) and Glenn Maxwell (76) added a fast 126 runs for the third wicket in just 10.1 overs.
Drop catches in the middle overs did little to help CSK, who were under a lot of strain. However, CSK was able to gain some ground by quickly removing both of the set batters—Maxwell and du Plessis—from the game.
Then, Dinesh Karthik (28) and Shahbaz Ahmed (12) kept RCB on pace, but ultimately they crumbled under strain. And RCB finished their run-pursuit at 218/8, falling just 8 short of the enormous goal.
As CSK produced an impressive 226 for six after being asked to bat first, Devon Conway smashed 83 off 45 deliveries and Shivam Dube scorched away to a 27-ball 52.
RCB had a terrible start as Kohli chose to play on to an Akash Singh delivery, costing them the game. Had Maheesh Theekshana not dropped a skier from Lomror at mid-off, Akash would have had greater success.
Shortly after being captured by Ruturaj Gaikwad at cover position, Lomror left. In the following over, Maxwell struck Akash for two sixes to show that he meant business, while Du Plessis hit Despande for two fours and a six.
In the following over, Akash took the brunt of Du Plessis’ fury after he demonstrated his variety of strokes by giving up two boundaries and a six.
Du Plessis and Maxwell were savage at their best, finding the fours and sixes at will, and didn’t spare any CSK bowler.
Maxwell reached his fifty in 24 balls compared to du Plessis’s 23 balls for his fifty. After that, the Australian hit a stunning six as RCB quickly reached 121 for two in 10 overs.
As Theekshana tricked Maxwell into hitting a skier in pursuit of a big shot, MS Dhoni took care of the rest to end the perilous partnership. Du Plessis’ departure in the following over gave Dhoni another skier off Moeen Ali, further aggravating the situation for RCB.
The veteran Karthik kept RCB in the game with some sneaky boundaries and was also given a life by Ruturaj Gaikwad off Deshpande in the 17th over when he needed 58 runs off the final five overs. However, Tushar Deshpande subsequently dismissed Karthik (3/45) to put an end to RCB hopes.
Earlier, the RCB bowling attack struggled as the CSK hitters came out swinging from the start.
Conway, who first blasted Wayne Parnell to the mid wicket boundary in the second over and then hoisted the South African over the fine leg fence three balls later, helped CSK get off to a strong start.
A Mohammed Siraj delivery found Parnell in the outfield as Gaikwad struggled and eventually left the game in the third over.
Conway handled himself impeccably as he scooped Vijaykumar Vyshak over the keeper for a four. Rahane (37 off 20) then delivered a flawless hook shot to send the ball into the stands.
Rahane seemed determined to make a statement as he pummelling Parnell for two boundaries and a six to add 15 runs to the total after the sixth over.
Maxwell was added to the offence in the seventh over and Conway hit a home run off of him. As they scored a boundary or a six in practically every over of their partnership, the pair assumed a menacing form.
Conway was at his best in the 10th over when he smacked Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva over midwicket for a big six, ending the potentially deadly partnership by getting rid of Rahane. Conway hit a double in the same over to get his second consecutive fifty.
At that point, the New Zealander hit Hasaranga for a boundary as CSK reached 97 for two in the middle of the innings. Maxwell’s six from Shivam Dube signalled his entry into the crease, and Conway maintained his assault by smashing debutant Vijaykumar for back-to-back fours.
Young Vijaykumar’s performance ended up being a nightmare as Conway crushed the bowler over the fine-leg boundary for another maximum.
Dube continued, slamming Harshal Patel over long-on for an additional six. The Indian batsman persisted and drove Siraj over midwicket for a four before hitting the ball farther by hooking a slower bouncer from the bowling over square leg.
