Bangalore: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) MS Dhoni (84 n o, 48b, 5×4, 7×6) played a gem of a knock, but all went in vain as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pulled off a thrilling one-run win in their IPL encounter here, Sunday.
Needing 26 off the final over, bowled by Umesh Yadav, Dhoni scored 24 off first five deliveries. With two runs to win off the final ball, Dhoni tried to find a quick single after failed to connect and Parthiv Patel hit the stumps with a direct throw to change the game in favour of RCB.
Chasing a descent but challenging 162 runs to win, CSK suffered a double blow when Dale Steyn () dismissed Shane Watson and Suresh Raina in successive balls in the first over to reduce the visitors to 6/2.
Umesh Yadav then struck twice – Faf du Plessis and Kedar Jadhav — in his successive overs as CSK came down to 28/4 at the end of powerplay. However, MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu (29) added 55 runs for the fifth wicket to give Chennai some hope.
Earlier, Parthiv’s (53, 37b, 2×4, 4×6) attacking half century and Moeen Ali’s (26, 16b) final flourish wasn’t enough as RCB put up a sub-par 161/7.
Parthiv didn’t get a lot of support from the other end until Moeen used the long handle at the death as AB de Villiers (25) and Akshdeep Nath (24) delivered little after promising a lot.
Deepak Chahar (2/25) was impressive as usual while Ravindra Jadeja’s (2/29) twin breakthrough during partnership was also important in the context of the innings. Dwayne Bravo (2/34) also chipped in with a couple of wickets in the end.
After the early departure of skipper Virat Kohli, Parthiv and De Villiers added 47 runs in only 4.2 overs with the former South African skipper looking in fine touch.
Having picked 16 runs off the final powerplay over, RCB looked in control before Jadeja induced De Villiers to go for a big shot only to be holed by Faf du Plessis at long-off.
Parthiv was joined by the burly Akshdeep as the duo added 41 runs before the latter being caught by Du Plessis at long-off Jadeja’s bowling at the stroke of team’s 100-run mark.
The baby-faced Parthiv, whose form has been inconsistent during the tournament so far, was ready to punish the loose balls on the day as he sent a Jadeja half tracker soaring into the stands for his third six and hit Imran Tahir for a fourth one.
He reached his half century by pulling Bravo in-front of square but was out off the very next ball. Just when 150 was looking a bit dicey, Moeen hit five boundaries to take RCB past 160-run mark.
Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 161/7 (Parthiv Patel 53; Deepak Chahar 2/24) bt Chennai Super Kings 160/8 (MS Dhoni 84 n o; Dale Steyn 2/29) by one run.
