CSK vs RCB: Chennai Super Kings, on Friday (March 22), started their title-defence with an impressive 6-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first game of IPL 2024. Chasing 174, the reigning champions crossed the finishing line in the 19th over.
CSK started their chase on a good note with openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra adding 38 runs for the first wicket. Yash Dayal broke the stand by dismissing Gaikwad for a run-a-ball 15. Ravindra, on the other end, was looking in fine touch and raced away to 37 runs off just 14 balls before Karn Sharma sent him back.
It was followed by a 28-run stand between Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell before the former departed for 27 to leave his side 3 down for 99 in the 11th over. 11 runs later, Mitchell was dismissed by Cameron Green. While the game was finely poised at that stage, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja did not let RCB capitalise on the breakthroughs.
The two started cautiously and focused on rotating the strike before shifting gears. The duo went on to share an unbeaten stand of 66 runs to take their team home.
CSK vs RCB: RCB innings
Earlier in the game, RCB recovered from a precarious situation to post a challenging total of 173 for 6 in 20 overs. Faf du Plessis won the toss and opted to bat first. The RCB skipper came out all guns blazing, hitting as many as seven fours alone in the first four overs before Mustafizur Rahman picked two wickets in quick succession.
In the fifth over, the left-arm pacer dismissed du Plessis for 35 before dismissing Rajat Patidar for a duck on the final ball of the same over. In the very next over, Deepak Chahar dismissed Glenn Maxwell for a duck to leave RCB reeling at 42 for 3.
All Happening Here!
Faf du Plessis ✅
Rajat Patidar ✅
Glenn Maxwell ✅@ChennaiIPL bounced back & in some style 👏 👏#RCB are 3 down for 42 in 6 overs!Head to @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia to watch the match LIVE
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Virat Kohli and Cameron Green stopped the rot for a while but could not bat their team to a position of strength. The duo added 35 runs for the fourth wicket before Mustafizur dismissed both of them in the 12th over to reduce RCB to 78 for 5.
At that stage, the 150-run mark was looking like a distant dream for the visitors. However, Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik bailed RCB out of trouble with a brilliant stand of 96 runs for the sixth wicket. The partnership was broken on the very last ball of the innings when Rawat was run out for 48. His knock came off 25 balls and was studded with 4 fours and 3 sixes. On the other hand, Karthik scored an unbeaten 38 off 26 balls.
CSK vs RCB scorecard:
