IPL: Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Chennai Super Kings to enter IPL top-4

Skipper Faf du Plessis, Mahipal Lomror, and Virat Kohli took reigns of the first innings and helped put up 173/8. Then, Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell shared five wickets and stopped Chennai Super Kings at 160/8 in twenty overs, despite the in-form Devon Conway’s half-century.

Top-order shines as Royal Challengers Bangalore put up a competitive score.

Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis started Bangalore’s innings brilliantly. The duo added 57 runs in the power play overs, the highest for their side in this season of the IPL.

As things were looking smooth sailing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, opposition skipper MS Dhoni introduced spin. 

The returning Moeen Ali came up to bowl the eighth over and took out du Plessis on the second ball as the South African lifted a shot and found Ravindra Jadeja towards the mid-wicket fence. Nonetheless, du Plessis (38 off 22) and Kohli held a strong opening stand of 62 runs, providing their side with a great start.

Then Glenn Maxwell joined Kohli’s side, however, not for long. The Aussie had to depart in the 9th over with three runs to his name, after a moment of indecision between him and Kohli gave Robin Uthappa a chance to pass an excellent throw to the keeper. Dhoni didn’t bat an eye and put the ball to the stumps, sending it for a review, which was later confirmed to be out.

This unfortunate mix up, Kohli’s fourth in this season, cost Bangalore their second wicket as they ended up at 76/2 in nine overs.

Mahipal Lomror then came to the crease but could not establish a partnership with Kohli, who departed in the tenth over for 30 runs as Moeen Ali caught yet another opener.

Lomror and Rajat Patidar set up a brilliant fourth-wicket partnership of 44 runs before Patidar at square leg for 21 runs in the sixteenth over.

Dinesh Karthik then joined Lomror. Bangalore wound up at 155/5 in the nineteenth over after Maheesh Theekshana dismissed Lomror. Lomror scored an impressive 42 runs off 27 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes. 

Later, Dinesh Karthik sent some lofty shots over the fence to take Bangalore’s score to 173 runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s bowlers close the gate on Chennai Super Kings.

Chennai Super Kings started their innings brightly as the in-form duo of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad got off to a good start with 51 runs to their name in the power play overs.

However, Shahbaz Ahmed provided Bangalore with their first breakthrough and sent Gaikwad back to the dugout in the seventh over for 28 runs off 23 balls.

Glenn Maxwell joined Ahmed and removed another batsman, as Robin Uthappa departed in the eighth over with only one run.

The flurry of wickets continued as Maxwell struck again in the tenth over; this time, he made sure to send back the dangerous Ambati Rayudu for just ten runs.

Moeen Ali then came up to bat and tried to form a partnership with Conway. And successfully so, as the pair added 34 runs to the scoreboard before Conway was removed by Wanindu Hasaranga in the fifteenth over. Conway scored 56 runs off 37 balls, including six boundaries and two sixes.

Chennai was down to needing 56 runs off 30 balls, as Jadeja came up and tried to smash boundaries but was unable to do so and gave away his wicket cheaply. Now, Chennai needed another 52 off of 24 balls. But, unfortunately, Moeen Ali was removed in the eighteenth over. 

Dhoni then joined the crease but couldn’t do much and gave away his wicket in the next over for two runs. Chennai needed another 39 runs in the last two overs but couldn’t achieve the same as Harshal Patel struck again. 

Chennai was able to score 160 runs after twenty overs. They lost out with 13 runs left to chase.

Now, Chennai will face Delhi Capital on May 8, whereas Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on the same day.