4.6 overs (1 Run) On a good length, around off, Devdutt Padikkal stands back and plays it down to cover-point for one. 10 from the over, Bangalore have got off to a flying start!
4.5 overs (1 Run) Angling in from a length around off, Virat closes the face of the bat and helps it towards mid-wicket for a sharp single.
4.4 overs (6 Runs) SIX! Kohli has sent this packing. Thakur pitches it up and around off, Virat Kohli latches onto it and cracks it all the way over wide long on for a maximum. What a shot!
4.3 overs (1 Run) Shardul Thakur delivers it full and around off, Devdutt Padikkal pushes it defensively through cover-point for a single.
4.2 overs (1 Run) Slower one, short in length and close to off, Kohli quietly dabs it in the direction of third man for a single.
4.1 overs (0 Run) Thakur begins with a dot ball. Short in length and outside off, Virat Kohli skips down the track to flat-bat it over the off side but it takes the inner edge, beats the stumps and rolls towards the keeper. MS Dhoni collects it.
Here comes the first bowling change. Shardul Thakur comes into the attack.
3.6 overs (1 Run) Fuller and on middle, it's clipped through backward square leg for a single. Bangalore have raced to 36/0 in 4 overs.
3.5 overs (0 Run) Kohli is looking to go after every delivery here. A touch short and around off, Kohli hangs on the back foot to pull it but it takes the bottom half of his blade and rolls back to the bowler.
3.4 overs (1 Run) Again it's shortish and around leg, Devdutt Padikkal tucks it behind square leg for a single.
3.3 overs (0 Run) Back of a length, on middle, Padikkal plays a mistimed pull shot to short mid-wicket.
3.2 overs (6 Runs) SIX! This one has gone all the distance. Josh Hazlewood bowls it on a length and in the slot for the batsman, Devdutt Padikkal shows a lovely extension of his arms and dispatches it behind the bowler's head for a biggie. Glorious.
3.1 overs (0 Run) Good bounce and carry. On a length and around off, it lands on the seam and zips through. Devdutt leaves it and Dhoni collects it in front of his face.
2.6 overs (0 Run) A muted appeal for an lbw, not given. A length ball is angled in around off, Kohli walks forward with the intention of flicking it. Misses and is hit on the pads. The ball deflects to point. A dot ball to end another expensive over from Deepak Chahar.
2.5 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Kohli is on fire. Hits his third boundary of the innings. Chahar delivers the slower one, on a length around off, Virat Kohli shimmies down the track and heaves it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
2.4 overs (1 Run) Chahar goes length and serves it on off, Padikkal drops it with gentle hands towards covers and picks up a single.
2.3 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Bang! Poor length and punished. Short and wide outside off, Devdutt Padikkal picks the length in a trice, goes on the back foot and whacks it to the sweeper cover fence.
2.2 overs (0 Run) Chahar serves it on a fuller length, around off, Devdutt Padikkal covers the line and shows a straight bat in defense.
2.1 overs (1 Run) On a length and outside off, Kohli waits and runs it down to third man for a single.
1.6 overs (1 Run) Slightly short and on middle, Virat stays back and uses the angle of the bowler. He tucks it behind square leg and retains strike with a single. A good over from Josh!
1.5 overs (0 Run) Play and a miss! Short in length and outside off, Kohli tries to slam it through the line but misses.
1.4 overs (2 Runs) Kohli is looking in some mood. Uses his feet to a length ball outside off and smashes it through covers. It's cut off in the deep and they take a couple of runs. The ball slowed down, maybe Moeen got some hand on it inside the ring.
1.3 overs (1 Run) Around off, on a fuller length, Devdutt Padikkal defends it from the lower half of his blade and it rolls near the stumps. Kohli quickly calls his partner through for a single.
1.2 overs (1 Run) The batsman goes back in his crease and guides it to third man for a single.
1.1 overs (0 Run) Josh Hazlewood speeds in and delivers it a bit short around off, Virat Kohli steps down the track to hit it across the line but it takes the inner edge and rolls off his pads to the off side. The skipper wants a run but Devdutt Padikkal is not interested.
Who will bowl from the other end? Josh Hazlewood it is.
0.6 over (4 Runs) FOUR! Devdutt Padikkal also opens his account with a boundary. Chahar overpitches this time, outside off, Devdutt Padikkal leans forward and crunches his drive through covers for a boundary, third in the over. Expensive start from Chahar.
0.5 over (0 Run) Better line and length from Deepak Chahar! Delivers it close to off on a fuller length, a bit of inward movement. Devdutt Padikkal covers the line and makes a brave leave.
0.4 over (0 Run) Hurls across a length ball, in the channel outside off, Devdutt Padikkal watches it go to the keeper.
0.3 over (1 Run) Length ball, outside off and there's away movement on this occasion. Kohli guides it to third man for a run.
0.2 over (4 Runs) FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for Virat Kohli. Deepak Chahar once again looks to swing it but there's no swing and Kohli clips it beautifully over mid-wicket and the ball races away to the fence.
0.1 over (4 Runs) FOUR! Runs straightaway for Virat Kohli and Bangalore. On the pads and flicked away to the fine leg fence for a boundary.
The game is set to begin. The Chennai players are seen to be in a huddle near the fence. Getting some final words from the skipper MS Dhoni. They spread out to their respective fielding positions. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal walk out to bat for Bangalore. Deepak Chahar to start with the ball. Here we go...
Bangalore (Playing XI) - Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (C), Srikar Bharat (WK), AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Navdeep Saini (In for Sachin Baby), Tim David (On Debut) (In for Kyle Jamieson), Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Chennai (Unchanged Playing XI) - Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni (WK/C), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood.
Virat Kohli, the Bangalore skipper, is up for a chat. He says that the wicket looks nice and hard. Mentions the pitch won't change too much. Adds that even they would've bowled first but also says they will look forward to adding some extra runs on the board. Mentions that Sachin Baby makes way for Navdeep Saini. Also, Kyle Jamieson goes out and Tim David will make his debut for the side.
MS Dhoni, the captain of Chennai, says that they will bowl first because there are a few wet patches that have mostly dried up and there could be dew later on. Adds that they are playing the same XI and it was a fine performance with the bat in the latter half of the innings in the last game and it was a complete team effort. About Gaikwad, he mentions that Gaikwad isn't flashy but can play aerial shots when needed and his confidence shows and hopes that Gaikwad can continue like this.
All good now. Toss time in Sharjah! Captain Cool vs Captain Fire. Both MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are in the middle. The latter has the coin and he gives it a good toss. MSD calls it correctly and CHENNAI ELECT TO FIELD!
Latest - Toss to take place at 6 pm local (2 pm GMT). Play to start 15 minutes after that.
Update 5.44 pm local (1.44 pm GMT) - There will be an inspection at 5:55 pm local time. Both the captains are in the middle with MS Dhoni having a conversation with Virat Kohli.
Update 5.30 pm local (1.30 pm GMT) - Toss has been delayed by 10 minutes. Reason - Dust storm in Sharjah! The Indian fans or basically all the fans of this beautiful game will be remembering Sachin Tendulkar's epic knock in 1998. That was sensational.
Pitch report - Kevin Pietersen is near the surface. He mentions that the pitch is patchy. Adds that he was expecting sheen on the deck but it is absent. KP reckons that the captain winning the toss should look to bowl first just to get a measure of the pitch.
Last meeting - It was the Ravindra Jadeja show! He smashed a 28-ball 62* and that included 37 off Harshal Patel's over. Not to forget his 3-fer that helped Chennai in demolishing Bangalore. What's in store for this evening?
No such issues for Chennai. A win will take them to the first spot again due to their better NRR than Delhi. Historically also, Chennai have dominated this head-to-head battle with a 17-9 scoreline. They have won 9 out of the last 11 encounters against Bangalore but the last five clashes have been more even with the Red Brigade winning two of them.
It was a wake-up call for Bangalore in Virat Kohli's words after their humiliating defeat in the last match. There is still no need for them to press the panic button as they are placed in the top 4 however they would like to return to winning ways and also improve their current NRR.
Hello and welcome to everyone for yet another dose of T20 cricket. We've witnessed action in Dubai and Abu Dhabi since resumption and so far it won't be wrong to say that the bowlers have enjoyed the proceedings more than the batters. It all can change in this game though. A batting paradise of Sharjah is all set to host this Chennai versus Bangalore battle and if you know the history of this venue, expect nothing less than a high-scoring humdinger.
... MATCH DAY ...
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