Chennai’s Superb Kings rout RCB!

CSK bowler Dwayne Bravo celebrates RCB skipper Virat Kohli’s wicket during their IPL clash at Sharjah yesterday; (right) RCB captain Virat Kohli raises his bat after scoring a half-century. Pics/BCCI, IPL

Chennai Super Kings produced a clinical all-round show to humble Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets and claim the top spot in the IPL pecking order here on Friday.

RCB skipper Virat Kohli (53) and young Devdutt Padikkal (70) struck brisk half-centuries in an impressive 111-run stand but CSK pulled the strings to restrict them to 156 for six after electing to bowl.

The in-form Gaikwad came good again with a quick 38 while Faf du Plessis made 31 at the top to lay a strong foundation for CSK to chase the modest target in 18.1 overs.

The win took CSK to the top spot with 14 points. They overtook Delhi Capitals, who also have 14 points, but the yellow brigade has better net run-rate of 1.185, compared to 0.613 of the Delhi team.

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Second straight loss for RCB

While it was the second consecutive win for CSK, the RCB now have lost both the games post the league's resumption.

Gaikwad and Du Plessis added 71 runs in 8.2 overs and later Moeen Ali (23) and Ambati Rayudu (32) also got starts, but could not convert those into big knocks. Suresh Raina (17) and skipper MS Dhoni (11) ensured that there was no twist in the tale, taking the side past the finish line.

Neither Mohammed Siraj nor Navdeep Saini could trouble the CSK openers. Whether the ball was pitched up, short or bowled at good length, Gaikwad and his Protea partner treated them with equal disdain.

Gaikwad gets going

Gaikwad punched the ball hard and even reverse swept with ease before Kohli pulled off a stunning low catch off wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Realising that spinners may turn the game around, Kohli handed the ball to off-spinner Glenn Maxwell and the Australian responded with the wicket of Du Plessis, who was guilty of playing a loose shot.

However, Rayudu and Moeen did not show any respect to the slow bowlers. They worked the ball around to keep the scoreboard moving and also got the big shots.

Earlier, Kohli and Padikkal went hammer and tongs after being asked to take first strike but once the partnership was broken by Dwayne Bravo, RCB lost the momentum. Bravo's bowling made a huge difference as he conceded only 24 runs in his four overs.

Brief scores
RCB 156-6 in 20 overs (D Padikkal 70, V Kohli 53; D Bravo 3-24, S Thakur 2-29) lost to CSK 157-4 in 18.1 overs (R Gaikwad 38, A Rayudu 32, Du Plessis 31) by 6 wickets

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