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IPL 2021: Dhoni's CSK Defeat Kohli's RCB by 6 Wickets; Go to Top of the Table
Chennai Super Kings led by MS Dhoni first bowled brilliantly in the second half of the first innings before swatting away Royal Challengers Bangalore's bowlers with relative ease.
CSK won by 6 wickets after restricting RCB to 156/6 earlier in the game. MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina were on hand to take the CSK side over the line and to the top of the table in the IPL. Earlier, Dwayne Bravo picked three wickets and Shardul Thakur took 2 as CSK fought back in style.
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Batting first in helpful conditions, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s openers Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal were looking to attack the bowlers from the get-go. Deepak Chahar, well known for his abilities with the new ball, was taken to the cleaners in the powerplay, with Josh Hazlewood too conceding a few runs.
Kohli and Paddikal were look to play aggressively, and were hitting it cleanly in the early part of the innings, as RCB scored at over 9 runs per over. The duo ended the powerplay with the half-century partnership, finding the fence at least once in the over.
The openers continued in their merry ways, driving, cutting, pulling, whipping it through mid-wicket and even going over the bowler’s head as the motored along.
Around the midway stage, the CSK bowlers were able to apply the brakes, somewhat, as the scoring rate dipped. In the 13th over, Kohli completed his half century just after RCB crossed the 100-run mark in the previous over. Soon after though the skipper was caught by Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket, looking to clear the ropes off Dwayne Bravo for 53 off 41 balls.
Padikkal too had brought up another half-century in the IPL for himself and had AB de Villiers for company as RCB looked to up the rate with the score at 131/1 with 4 overs to go.
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Shardul Thakur picked 2 wickets off consecutive deliveries against RCB.
The next over was perfect for CSK’s cause as Shardul Thakur, among the pick of the bowlers, came back to dismiss ABD (12) and Padikkal (70) off consecutive deliveries, after getting hit for a six by the South African.
With Glenn Maxwell and Tim David, the new men in the middle, Bravo delivered a 10-run over as RCB crossed 150.
In the next over, an under-pressure David was caught by Suresh Raina for 1 off Chahar, as CSK’s fight back continued. Maxwell was dismissed by Bravo in the final over for 11 as Jadeja took an easy catch and RCB finished the innings in a tame manner.
In response, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis started off in a solid manner, making good use of the powerplay, but unable to match the Kohli-Padikkal efforts, in terms of runs. Both openers made good use of any chance to put the bowlers away, playing as risk-free as possible.
A few big hits made the powerplay fruitful as the openers, who played with panache, put on 71 at quick pace.
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Gaikwad, the hero of CSK’s previous game, was the first to depart, caught sharply by Kohli at gully off Yuzvendra Chahal for 38 off 26 deliveries, having smashed 4 boundaries and a six.
Right after, off the first delivery of the 9th over, Faf had to make the walk back as he too was caught sharply by Navdeep Saini at short fine leg of Glenn Maxwell for 31.
With Moeen Ali and Ambati Rayudu in the middle, CSK had a rebuilding job to do. The duo dug in and absorbed the initial pressure before the southpaw decided to free his arms soon after.
Moeen however was not able to hang in there for too long, caught comfortably by Kohli after a change of pace outfoxed him. Harshal Patel had his first scalp for the night as Moeen was dismissed for 23.
Harshal then struck again soon after as he dismissed Rayudu for 32, caught at mid-wicket by ABD, as CSK neared the finishing line.
Veterans Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni were in the middle with the asking rate at almost a run-a-ball in the final phase.
Raina smashed Hasaranga for 10 in the 17th over as CSK’s most experienced players took them over the line with a little less than 2 overs to spare.
Raina remained unbeaten on 17 with Dhoni not out on 9.
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