Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) began their Ruturaj Gaikwad-era with a six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match of the 17th editiong of Indian Premier League (IPL), on Friday.
Fine performances by Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube with the bat, along with a fiery four-wicket haul by Mustafizur Rahman, were instrumental in CSK’s win at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Chasing 174, CSK were off to a flying start as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad smacked Mohammed Siraj for two boundaries in the first over itself. Kiwi youngster Rachin Ravindra, who was at the other end, played some delightful strokes against pace.
However, the opening partnership was cut short at 38 runs, with Ruturaj caught by Cameron Green for 15 in 15 balls (with three fours). CSK was 38/1 in 4 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane was next up on the crease and with the help of a classy six, he helped CSK reach the 50-run mark in 5.3 overs.
Rachin was looking threatening at the other end. However, spinner Karn Sharma had the last laugh, getting him caught at deep backward square leg by Rajat Patidar for 37 in 15 balls, with three fours and three sixes. CSK was 71/2 in seven overs.
Halfway through the innings, CSK was 92/2 in 10 overs, with Rahane (21*) and Daryl Mitchell (17*) staying unbeaten.
RCB got another wicket just when they entered the second half of the innings, with Glenn Maxwell taking a fine catch near the boundary. Rahane was dismissed for 27 in 19 balls, with two sixes. Cameron Green got his debut IPL wicket. CSK was 99/3 in 10.3 overs.
CSK reached the 100-run mark in 10.3 overs.
The visitors seemed to be making a brief comeback in the game, hitting Shivam Dube with some short balls and finally getting the wicket of Mitchell using this tactic. His pull shot lacked power and found Patidar at long-on. Green got his second wicket for 22 in 18 balls, with two sixes. CSK was 110/4 in 12.3 overs.
RCB managed to restrict CSK’s run flow a bit with some exceptional ground fielding. At the end of 15 overs, CSK was 128/4 in 15 overs, needing 46 in the final five overs.
Shivam Dube finally let his arms free in the next over, scoring his first boundary, reducing the deficit to 34 runs in 24 balls.
In the next over, a boundary by Dube and some extras by Alzarri Joseph cut down the deficit to 18 runs in 18 balls.
The match was snatched from RCB in the next over as Dube smashed Siraj for two boundaries and Alzarri for a six. CSK ended their innings at 176/4, with Dube (34* in 28 balls, with five fours and a six) and Jadeja (25* in 17 balls, with a six) unbeaten. CSK had eight balls to spare.
Earlier, Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik’s late brisk partnership of 95-run helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru post 173/6 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after Mustafizur produced a rampant spell to dismantle RCB’s batting order with his irresistible 4- wicket haul in the blockbuster opening clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 here at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.
Rawat scored the highest for CSK with 48 runs off 25 while Dinesh Karthik played a crucial knock of 38 off 26 deliveries. Debutant Mustafizur sizzled in Chepauk with his four-wicket haul, claiming wickets of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Rajat Patidar and Cameron Green.
Opting to bat first, openers Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis gave RCB a solid start as the captain hammered Deepak Chahar and Tushar Deshpande early in the innings.
Chahar became the prey of Du Plessis’in red-hot form in the third over, as the RCB captain smoked CSK bowler for four boundaries, gathering 17 runs.
The visitors finally got the best of Du Plessis as the RCB captain played a shot towards the deep backward point where debutant Rachin Ravindra completed a brilliant catch of Mustafizur Rahman’s delivery in the fifth over.
In the same over, Mustafizur struck again as he removed Rajat Patidar. Chahar then joined the wicket-taking party as his length ball delivery sent Glenn Maxwell packing in the 6th over.
Mustafizur’s ruthless form continued as he removed well- set batter Kohli (21) and Cameron Green (18) in the 12th over. Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat then joined hands as the duo kept piling runs for RCB, slamming boundaries at regular intervals.
Karthik, playing at his home ground and Rawat, trusted to be RCB’s extra-batter in this game, though broke ranks, took the ones and twos and then ruthlessly attacked CSK’s pacers towards the end.
Karthik and Rawat then thumped Deshpande for a huge 25 runs with the help of three maximums in the 18th over. Rawat stitched a 95-run stand off 50 deliveries with Karthik at a breakneck pace to guide RCB to 173/6 in 20 overs.
Brief score: Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 173/6 (Anuj Rawat 48, Dinesh Karthik 38*; Mustafizur Rahman 4-29) vs Chennai Super Kings: 176/4 (Rachin Ravindra 37, Shivam Dube 34*, Cameron Green 2/27).
