PUNE, India, CMC – Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo was again a non-starter, and Chennai Super Kings stumbled to a 13-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League yesterday.
Bravo missed the previous match for the Super Kings against Sunrisers Hyderabad due to an injury and it appeared he was still fit again to play against Royal Challengers.
Chasing 174, CSK openers – Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway – emerged from a cautious start to power their side to 51 without loss after the power play. However, CSK started to unravel after Shahbaz Ahmed got Gaikwad caught at long-on for 28 in the seventh over and Australian Glenn Maxwell had Robin Uthappa caught at backward point for one in the next over.
Maxwell then bowled Ambati Rayudu for two as CSK reached the halfway stage of their chase at 77 for three.
Conway, the South Africa-born New Zealand left-hander, transported his form from the previous match and reached his 50 after adding a six and a four following the strategic time-out.
Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga though, claimed the crucial wicket of Conway caught at deep backward square in the 15th over for the top score of 56 from 37 balls, and CSK were 118 for four with five overs remaining.
Pacer Harshal Patel claimed three crucial wickets in the closing over and RCB completed a successful defence of the target.
Earlier, a quick-fire 42 from 27 balls from Mahipal Lomror piloted RCB to 173 for eight from their 20 overs after they were put in to bat.
RCB remained unchanged from their previous game and their openers – former India captain Virat Kohli and former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis – got them off to a solid start, RCB reaching 57 without loss at the end of the power play.
But three wickets – two to Moen Ali – in the space of 16 balls rocked RCB between the eighth and 10th overs.
England spin bowling all-rounder Ali got du Plessis caught at deep mid-wicket for 38 in the eighth over and bowled Kohli for 30 in the 10th over. In between, Maxwell was run out in the next over.
RCB were 79 for three at the halfway mark and Lomror and Rajat Patidar helped them regain the momentum with a crucial stand of 44 for the fourth wicket. Both Patidar and Lomror added a four and six each. RCB were 123 for three at the end of 15 overs before South African. Dwaine Pretorius dismissed Patidar to a fine running catch by Mukesh Choudhary at deep backward square leg in the 16th over.
Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed three wickets in the penultimate over, including the prized scalp of Lomror to give his side a chance, but they failed to grasp it.
Summarised scores:
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE 173 for eight off 20 overs (Mahipal Lomror 42, Faf du Plessis 38, Virat Kohli 30, Dinesh Karthik 26 not out, Rajat Patidar 21; Maheesh Theekshana 3-27, Moeen Ali 2-28).
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS 160 for eight off 20 overs (Devon Conway 56, Moeen Ali 34, Raturaj Gaikwad 26; Harshal Patel 3-35, Glenn Maxwell 2-22).
Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 13 runs.
