RCB vs CSK: Chennai Falls Short by 2 Runs in Nail-Biting Thriller

Bangalore: After fifties from Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethel and Romario Shepherd, Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Chennai Super Kings by 2 runs with tight bowling. In the thrill of the last over, CSK had to score 16 runs to win, but Yash Dayal conceded just a run and put the match in RCB's bag. In this way, RCB earned 16 points with the 8th win this season. However, despite 16 points, the RCB team has not officially reached the playoffs.

After winning the toss at the M Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had asked RCB to bat first. Batting first, RCB scored 213 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs with the half-century innings of Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell and Romario Shepherd. In response, CSK showed a strong game and at one time had the match in its favor, but unfortunately it fell behind the target. Chasing the target, CSK could only score 211 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs.

CSK's batting faltered in the end

CSK's team, which came out to chase the target against RCB, dominated the match for 16 overs in the innings, but after that RCB's bowlers made a strong comeback. Especially the 18th over was very important for RCB. Suyash Sharma pushed CSK back in the match by giving only 6 runs in this over. After this, Ravindra Jadeja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni together scored 14 runs against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 19th over. After this over, CSK had to score 16 runs in the last over to win.

Yash Dayal, who came to bowl the last over for RCB, had a good start. He conceded only 2 runs on the first three balls and also got Dhoni's wicket, but Shivam Dubey kept the excitement of the match alive by hitting a six on the fourth ball. This ball of Yash Dayal was also a no ball, but after this Dubey and Jadeja could score only three runs, due to which RCB won the match by 2 runs.

Ayush Mhatre and Jadeja's fifty went in vain

Ayush Mhatre batted badly for CSK in this match against RCB. Mhatre played an innings of 94 runs in 48 balls. He missed his century by just a run. Mhatre completed his fifty in 25 balls. In this innings, he also hit 9 fours and 5 sixes. Apart from this, Ravindra Jadeja also played a wonderful innings. Jadeja remained unbeaten for CSK by scoring 77 runs in 45 balls. However, his innings could not give victory to CSK. In this way, five-time champion CSK suffered the 9th defeat out of 11 matches this season.

RCB batsmen made a splash

RCB's top order batsmen played a wonderful innings in this match against Chennai Super Kings. Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethel, who came to start the innings, shared a 97-run partnership for the first wicket. After this, Romario Shepherd made the condition of RCB bowlers worse by hitting a fifty in just 14 balls. In the match for RCB, Virat Kohli scored 62 runs in 33 balls while Bethel contributed 55 runs in 33 balls. The directionless performance of Chennai bowlers made their job easier. Shepherd eventually scored an unbeaten 54 off 14 balls with four fours and six sixes. He hit the joint second-fastest half-century in the IPL.

Jacob Bethell started showing his aggressive attitude from the very first over in the match for RCB. Bethell hit three consecutive fours to Khalil in the very first over. This 21-year-old England batsman also got a lifeline when Ravindra Jadeja and Mathisha Pathirana collided while trying to catch him off fast bowler Anshul Kamboj and the catch was also missed. Bethell was on 27 at that time and he completed his half-century by hitting a reverse scoop to Jadeja. Kohli also completed 50 runs by hitting a four to Jadeja.