RCB vs CSK | Virat Kohli and Romario Shepherd star as RCB complete emphatic double over CSK with thrilling win

‌Brief score: RCB 213/5 (20) [Virat Kohli 62(33), Jacob Bethell 55(33); Matheesha Pathirana 3/36(4)] beat CSK 211/5 (20) [Ayush Mhatre 94(48), Ravindra Jadeja 77*(45); Lungi Ngidi 3/30(4)] by two runs.

Put in to bat first after Rajat Patidar lost his fifth toss on the trot, openers Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell got off to an excellent start with Bethell scoring three boundaries in the first over by Khaleel Ahmed. Kohli took inspiration from his younger partner as he set the tone with two stunning sixes, first a pull over fine leg and the second a wristy flick over square, of the left-arm pacer’s next to aggregate 32 runs off his two overs. Nothing was going CSK’s way as Ravindra Jadeja after holding on to a catch from Bethell dropped him after colliding with Matheesha Pathirana as RCB waltzed to 46/0 at the end of the fourth over. MS Dhoni turned to spin and introduced Noor Ahmad to put the brakes on the free-flowing passage. But it did not fetch the desired result as the England all-rounder smashed 14 runs of the Afghan spinner with the pair taking RCB to 71 at the end of the powerplay. Dhoni then brought on his most experienced tweaker Jadeja and the all-rounder expectedly slowed down proceedings conceding just nine runs in his first two overs with Bethell completing his maiden IPL fifty in the latter’s second over. With no other options up his sleeve, Dhoni brought his death-over specialist Pathirana to break the partnership and he obliged immediately sending back Bethell with Dewald Brevis taking a brilliant catch. However, Kohli was in no mood of slowing down hitting a six and two fours in Jadeja’s next over, the first of those fours bringing up his seventh fifty in 11 matches this year. But against the run of play, Kohli was also dismissed in the next over by Sam Curran as RCB sat pretty on 122/2 and set themselves up for a huge total. With the veteran batter’s dismissal, CSK came back strongly into the match applying the squeeze giving away just 37 runs in the next six overs picking up three more wickets. But Romario Shepherd, with his unbelievable hitting, changed the course of the match with two huge overs at the end of the innings. First, he took Khaleel to the cleaners smacking four sixes and two fours in the penultimate over to plunder 33 runs, the costliest in this year’s IPL. Then he tore Pathirana apart for 21 runs off the final over to take RCB past the 200-run mark.

Chasing 214 for a win, the young CSK opening pair of Shaik Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre started cautiously as RCB opened with spinner Krunal Pandya. Rasheed slowly shifted gears with a six and four of pacer Yash Dayal’s opening over, the third of the innings. Mhatre held on to the momentum with another big over, punishing veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for five fours and a six as the visitors reached 49/0 after four overs. The RCB skipper went back to Krunal Pandya and the change worked magic as the left-arm spinner sent back Rasheed and with Lungi Ngidi dismissing Sam Curran, CSK ended the powerplay at 58/2. However, the 17-year-old Mhatre continued in the same vein bringing up his maiden IPL half-century, the third youngest player to score an IPL fifty, in the ninth over. Jadeja, who walked in at four, played the perfect foil to the Mumbai batter with boundaries off Ngidi and spinner Suyash Sharma. The opener welcomed Shepherd into the attack with two huge sixes and a four to notch up 18 runs as CSK were in the driver’s seat with 108 required off the final 10 overs. Meanwhile, Jadeja set his sights on the slower bowlers, dominating Suyash Sharma and collecting 28 runs from the spinner’s second and third overs. Just as it looked like the match would go CSK’s way, Lungi Ngidi came back into the attack for his final over and dismissed Ayush Mhatre (94 off 48) to break the pivotal third-wicket partnership that added 114 runs off 64 balls. The South African struck again the next ball to dismiss Brevis and turn the tide strongly in the home team’s favour. With 29 required from the last two overs, Jadeja and Shivam Dube, with a first ball six, brought CSK close but the visitors fell agonisingly short. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 77 off 45 balls as RCB ended on the right side of a nail-biting contest. With the win, RCB went on top of the table with 16 points from 11 games.

Thta's how Thala does!

Yupe!

Yes they are!

Big thanks from RCB fans!

No comments!

Power of RCB!

They are killing it!

He was very late on it right?

Check they showed it later!