Ashish Nehra bowled a dream spell to demolish RCB© BCCI
Ashish Nehra produced a dream spell to restrict Royal Challengers Bangalore to 154/8 and helped the Super Kings hand them a 27-run defeat. Chasing a daunting 182 to win, the Bangalore batsmen couldn't put up a brave face in front of some inspired bowling from Nehra. He was backed up by some cracking fielding from the Super Kings. Virat Kohli was the lone ranger who threw a challenge at Chennai with a fighting half century.
Earlier, Virat Kohli won the toss and invited Super Kings to bat. They lost Brendon McCullum early but an onslaught from Dwayne Smith and Suresh Raina left the RCB bowlers clueless. Although the spinners brought Bangalore back in the game, a total of 181/8 was daunting enough on a slow Chinnaswamy track.
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23:57 (IST): That's it! CSK win by 27 runs. Superb performance in the field by the Super Kings. Kohli was the lone ranger for Bangalore but tonight was all about Ashish Nehra.
23:50 (IST): 35 runs required off the last over.
23:42 (IST): 4-0-10-4...Ashish Nehra, take a bow! Stunning spell from the left-hander.
23:40 (IST): OUT! On a hat-trick Nehra! Harshal gone for a duck. RCB 123/7 (16.2 overs).
23:38 (IST): OUT! Kohli (51) falls to Nehra. Good catch from Smith at mid wicket fence. RCB 123/6 (16.1)
23:35 (IST):SIX and FIFTY for Virat Kohli! 18th in the IPL. Game not over yet! RCB 122/5 (15.5 overs)
22:03 (IST): Three runs from the final ball. Super Kings finish with 181/8 riding Raina's 32 ball 62.
22:00 (IST): BOWLED! Pitch perfect from Starc! Mohit Sharma uprooted. Four dot balls in the final over.
22:00 (IST): Three dots in-a-row. Mohit Sharma swings and misses. Du Plessis need to get strike here.
21:55 (IST): OUT! Ashwin gone now. Change of pace from Wiese and he just didn't pick it. CSK are losing steam.
RCB has probably got their best news ahead of Wednesday's contest - Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc is available for selection. The World Cup-winning pacer will be Kohli's main weapon to blunt Chennai's rampaging openers - Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith.
Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will be the man to watch out for. The young RCB spinner has been impressive but his big test comes tonight when he bowls against the likes of Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo and Dhoni, all classy players of the spinning ball.
In spite of having a well-settled squad, CSK are yet to look rock solid. The team has banked on its openers and then relied on the bowlers to defend a score. In their last match against Rajasthan Royals, Dhoni's plans didn't work. Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson produced 144 for the opening wicket to blow CSK away by 8 wickets in Ahmedabad.
The script could be similar tonight. RCB have the best T20 batsmen in the world and if the likes of Ashish Nehra, Mohit Sharma and Iswar Pandey err in line and length, CSK will be in trouble. CSK will be wary of the 'supernatural' AB De Villiers and of course, Chris Gayle and Kohli.
RCB gave Mumbai their first win on Sunday. Harbhajan Singh's spin foxed Gayle and Manvinder Bisla. So CSK's slow bowlers - Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja - will fancy their chances.
The high-profile match is pregnant with possibilities. CSK have won eight of their last 12 games against RCB. They had lost four out of six before that. But like any new day, stats will count for nothing.
Topics mentioned in this article
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Chennai Super Kings
Virat Kohli
MS Dhoni
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
IPL 8
Cricket