RCB turn the heat on Chennai

Bengaluru: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru batters came out firing cylinders in the do-or-die clash against Chennai Super Kings that has kept alive their dream of making the play-offs, something which looked more of a fantasy a month ago.

Openers Faf Du Plessis (54) and Virat Kohli (47) set the foundation with scorching innings before in-form Rajat Patidar (41) and Cameron Green (38 n.o.) provided the fireworks in the middle and death as Royal Challengers posted a competitive 218/5 at a sold-out and raucous M Chinnaswamy stadium on Saturday.

The main target for the Royal Challengers, however, will be 200. They need to restrict Chennai Super Kings below that mark that will help them get to 14 points and usurp the defending champions and grab the last available play-offs spot. Otherwise even a sixth win on the bounce will see their resurgent run come to an end. 

Earlier, openers Kohli and Du Plessis got the Royal Challengers off to a rousing start, scoring 31 in 3 overs when heavy rain lashed the stadium that stalled play for 41 minutes. When play resumed, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad instantly swapped pacers Tushar Deshpande and Shardul Thakur for spinners Mahesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner.

Kohli and Du Plessis, who were at ease against the pacers with the ball coming on nicely to the bat, found the going tough initially against Theekshana and Santner, the duo extracting good turn and bounce from the pitch. Balls fizzled past the outside edges of both Kolhi and Du Plessis, RCB innings suddenly suffering a dip in momentum. From 31/0 in 3 overs, RCB ended Powerplay at 42/0.  

Kohli, who loves playing on May 18 having scored two successive centuries, then decided to step on the pedal given how important it was for the Royal Challengers get a big score. He started with a boundary off Ravindra Jadeja in the 7th over, did the same to Santner in the very next before smashing Jadeja for a huge six in the 9th. It looked like the onslaught would continue when Kohli thumped Santner for another maximum in the 10th over but the left-arm spinner had the last laugh, getting the RCB leading scorer caught in the deep by Daryl Mitchell. 

Du Plessis then took over the baton of playing the big shots. He pummelled Jadeja for a boundary and two successive sixes in the 11th over as RCB upped the tempo in exhilarating fashion. Just like Kohli, Du Plessis too timed the ball brilliantly and it looked like the skipper would hurt his former franchise badly. But against the run of play in the 13th over, CSK got a breakthrough. 

Rajat Patidar smashed one off Santner straight back, the ball clipping the Kiwi’s hands and ricocheting into the stumps. Santner appealed for a Du Plessis run-out at the non-striker’s end and umpire Michael Gough, after intense deliberation, adjudged the South African’s bat to be in the air although it seemed grounded. 

Green and Patidar, however, ensured no momentum would be lost. The duo went hammer and tongs right from the onset, barely lifting their foot off the pedal. They posted a game-changing 71-run stand off 28 balls for the third wicket that was largely instrumental in Challengers posting a very competitive total.