RCB break CSK curse in Chennai

cricket28 March 2025 18:00| ยฉ SuperSport
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Captain Rajat Patidar belted 51 from 32 balls among a well-functioning top order as the Royal Challengers Bangalore completed an overwhelming 50-run victory in their IPL match against the Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.

It was their first victory at the ground since 2008.

Openers Phil Salt (32 from 16 balls) and Virat Kohli (31 from 30) delivered starkly contrasting innings while Devdutt Padikkal smashed 27 from 14 balls to give the RCB innings an early boost to post 196-7 at one of the competition's most notoriously difficult batting venues.

Australian big-hitter Tim David fulfilled his role perfectly with three massive sixes and a four in his 22 from eight balls to turn a good score into a very good one.

The home side were rocked early by the loss of two wickets to Josh Hazlewood (4-0-21-3) who claimed 2-6 in his opening two overs and never recovered from 8-2 as they slumped to 146-8 in reply to concede the match with embarrassing ease.

New Zealand opener Rachin Ravindra battled hard to keep the men-in-yellow in the contest but when he was bowled for 41 (31 balls, 5x4) by left-arm seamer Yash Dawal (2-18) the game was all-but over at 75-5 which soon became 80-6 when Dayal bowled Shivam Dube (19).

Fourty-three-year-old MS Dhoni made a belated appearance at No 9 with 14 runs per over required but the cheer from the home crowd as he walked to the wicket was the only highlight โ€“ with the bat at least.

The โ€˜old manโ€™ of the IPL may be well past his best with the bat but he is still a master wicketkeeper as his lightning stumping of Salt against Afghan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad (3-36) illustrated.

He did, however, muscle a couple of sixes and three fours in his 30* from 16 balls โ€“ all after the match was lost.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed