Patidar, Hazlewood shape RCB’s splendid victory over CSK

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 28 (ANI): Tight bowling spells from pacers Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secure a 50-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Chepauk Stadium on Thursday.

With two wins in as many games, RCB is at the top of the points table. It is RCB’s first win against CSK at the Yellow Army’s home ground of Chepauk Stadium since 2008.

During the run-chase of 197, CSK faced the scoreboard pressure right from the beginning as Josh Hazlewood delivered the five-time champions a double whammy in the second over, removing Rahul Tripathi (5) and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (0) unbeaten.

CSK was left 8/2 in two overs.

Deepak Hooda joined Rachin Ravindra at the crease, but they both looked timid against a red-hot RCB bowling, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hazlewood giving them no breathing space. Hooda gave in to pressure, being caught by Jitesh Sharma for four in nine balls. CSK was 26/3 in 4.4 overs.

At the end of the powerplay, CSK was 30/3, with Sam Curran (2) joining Rachin (18) for the rebuilding process.

Spinners Liam Livingstone and Suyash Sharma continued suffocating CSK batters, bringing the run-rate up every ball. A fine catch by Krunal Pandya spelt the end of Curran (eight in 13 balls), who attempted a loose shot under pressure against Livingstone. CSK was 52/4 in 8.5 overs.

Shivam Dube entered as an impact player and tried making an impact with a four and six to start off things. At the end of 10 overs, CSK was 65/4, with Rachin (35) and Shivam (12) unbeaten.

RCB continued dominating CSK, cleaning up Rachin for 41 in 31 balls, with five fours. Yash also cleaned up Shivam for 19 in 12 balls, reducing CSK to 80/6 in 12.5 overs.

Livingstone removed Ravichandran Ashwin for just 11 in eight balls, continuing to turn the match in RCB’s favour. CSK was 99/7 in 15.2 overs.

CSK could not secure a win as they finished at 146/8, with Dhoni (30* in 16 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Noor Ahmad (0*).

Josh Hazlewood (3/21) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB. Yash (2/18) and Livingstone (2/28) also bowled well for RCB. Bhuvneshwar got a wicket as well.

A blistering half-century from skipper Rajat Patidar and explosive cameos by Phil Salt and Tim David pushed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to 196/7 in their 20 overs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk Stadium on Friday.

Nearly every RCB batter got a fine start, but except for Patidar, none of them could make it into something big. Noor Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for CSK once again with three scalps, who also got the wicket of Virat Kohli.

After CSK won the toss and opted to field first, Phil Salt put RCB to a fine start, striking Ravichandran Ashwin for two fours and a six in the second over. On the other end, Virat Kohli was trying to connect against pacers and spinners alike but struggled to do so.

At the final ball of the fifth over, CSK got a huge breakthrough as a lightning-fast stumping from MS Dhoni on a Noor Ahmed delivery removed Salt for a 16-ball 32, with five fours and a six. RCB was 45/1 in five overs.

A fine six by Devdutt Padikkal helped RCB bring up their 50-run mark in 5.5 overs. At the end of six overs, RCB was 56/1, with Padikkal (9) and Virat (11) unbeaten.

In the next over against Ravindra Jadeja, Padikkal showed some serious intent against spin, hitting him for two fours and a six.

However, a catch from skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad on a Ravichandran Ashwin delivery ended Padikkal’s brief cameo of 27 in 14 balls, with two fours and two sixes. RCB was 76/2 in 7.5 overs.

At the end of 10 overs, RCB was 93/2, with skipper Rajat Patidar (11) joining a struggling Virat (16).

The start of the 11th over saw one of the innings’ highlights as after being hit on his head by a Matheesha Pathirana bouncer, Virat responded back with a six and four, bringing his strike rate into a better position. Thanks to a four by Patidar, the over went for 16 runs and 100 runs were up in 10.3 overs.

Virat perished to Noor for 31 in 30 balls (two fours and six) while being caught by Rachin Ravindra in an attempt to go big (RCB: 117/3 in 12.2 overs), Patidar looted 15 runs from Jadeja’s over, getting two fours and a six.

After 15 overs, RCB was 138/3, with Liam Livingstone (4) joining Patidar (36).

After hitting Noor for a six, Livingstone was cleaned up for 10 off nine balls, with RCB down at 145/4 in 15.3 overs. A six by Jitesh Sharma on the final ball of the over moved RCB to the 150-run mark.

Patidar and Jitesh continued getting boundaries against Pathirana and Khaleel Ahmed. Patidar reached his eighth fifty in 30 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.

The partnership between the duo broke as Jitesh was caught by Jadeja for 12 off six balls on a Khaleel delivery. RCB was 172/5 in 17.4 overs. The wicket of skipper Patidar (51 in 32 balls) to Pathirana moved RCB to backfoot. RCB was 176/6 in 18.1 overs. Pathirana also got Krunal Pandya for a three-ball duck on a poorly-timed shot.

In the 19th over, Tim David got three successive sixes against Sam Curran. RCB ended their innings at 196/7, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0) and Tim David (22 in eight balls, a four and three sixes).

Noor (3/36) was the pick of the bowlers for CSK. Also, Pathirana got two wickets and Ashwin, Khaleel got one wicket each.