NAVI MUMBAI, Apr 12:
Shivam Dube and Robin Uthappa’s scintillating strokeplay was complemented by a stellar performance from the spinners as Chennai Super Kings notched up a 23-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore to open their account in the 15th IPL here on Tuesday.
Invited to bat, Dube (95 not out) and Uthappa (88 off 50 balls) conjured up commanding unbeaten half-centuries, smashing 17 sixes and 9 fours between them en route to a 165-run stand — the overall highest for the third wicket and the highest of this season — to take CSK to an imposing 216 for 4.
In reply, RCB was restricted to 193 for nine, with young spinner Maheesh Theekshana (4/33) and skipper Ravindra Jadeja (3/39) running riot with seven wickets between them in CSK’s 200th IPL game.
With this win, the defending champions finally snapped their four match losing streak, while for Bangalore, it was just their second loss in five matches.
Chasing an improbable 217, RCB lost skipper Faf du Plessis (8), who became Theekshana’s first victim and star-batter Virat Kohli (1), who was removed by Mukesh Choudhary, inside the first five overs.
In-form Anuj Rawat (12) too fell inside the power-play after being trapped in front of the wicket by Theekshana.
The 21-year-old spinner from Sri Lanka, who was picked for Rs 70 lakh in the mega auction, then cleaned up debutant Suyash Prabhudessai (34) and Shahbaz Ahmed (41), who tried to take the game deep with their quick 60-run stand off 33 balls.
Theekshana castled Prabhudessai, after the ball beat the inside edge and crashed into the middle stump and then used the carrom ball to dismiss Ahmed and cap off a match-winning spell under the lights.
Dinesh Karthik did create a scare with his 14-ball 34, but that was too little and too late as CSK heaved a sigh of relief with their first points on the board.
At the start, Dube and Uthappa feasted on the RCB attack, smashing scintillating half-centuries.
Earlier, invited to bat, Uthappa and Dube showed their six hitting prowess as they rallied the innings after CSK was reeling at 36 for 2.
While Uthappa’s knock was studded with nine sixes and four boundaries, Dube also hit eight sixes and five fours in his unbeaten 46-ball knock. (PTI)
Scoreboard
Chennai Super Kings
Ruturaj Gaikwad lbw b Hazlewood 17
Robin Uthappa c Kohli b de Silva 88
Moeen Ali run out 3
Shivam Dube not out 95
Ravindra Jadeja c Anuj Rawat b de Silva 0
M S Dhoni not out 0
Extras: (B-4 LB-2 NB-1 W-6) 13
Total: (For 4 wickets in 20 overs) 216
Fall of wickets: 1/19 2/36 3/201 4/201
Bowling: Mohammed Siraj 4-0-37-0, Josh Hazlewood 4-0-33-1, Akash Deep 4-0-58-0, Glenn Maxwell 3-0-29-0, Shahbaz Ahmed 2-0-18-0, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 3-0-35-2.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Faf du Plessis c Chris Jordan b M Theekshana 8
Anuj Rawatlbw b M Theekshana 12
Virat Kohli c Shivam Dube b M Choudhary 1
Glenn Maxwell b Ravindra Jadeja 26
Shahbaz Ahmed b M Theekshana 41
Suyash Prabhudessai b M Theekshana 34
Dinesh Karthik c Ravindra Jadeja b DJ Bravo 34
Wanindu Hasaranga c Chris Jordan b Ravindra Jadeja 7
Akash Deep c Rayudu b Ravindra Jadeja 0
Mohammed Siraj not out 14
Josh Hazlewood not out 7
Extras: (lb 0, w 8, nb 1,) 9
Total: (9 wkts, 20 Ov) 193
Fall of Wickets: 14-1, 20-2, 42-3, 50-4, 110-5, 133-6, 146-7, 146-8, 171-9
Bowling: Moeen Ali 3-0-19-0, Mukesh Choudhary 3-0-40-1, Maheesh Theekshana 4-0-33-4, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-39-3, Chris Jordan 2-0-20-0, Dwayne Bravo 4-0-42-1.
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