The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by eight runs in yesterday’s 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Sent into bat after losing the toss, Chennai posted 226/6 on the board as Devon Conway (83 off 45) and Shivam Dube (52 off 27) scored impressive half-centuries. In the chase, Glenn Maxwell (76 off 36) and Faf du Plessis (62 off 33) went hard at CSK’s bowling. However, RCB fell short, finishing at 218/8.
Chasing 227, RCB were jolted early as Virat Kohli (6) was bowled in unusual fashion off Akash Singh’s bowling. The opener tried to whack the left-arm seamer, but under-edged the ball onto his boot. From there, the ball rolled back onto the stumps and dislodged the bail.
Maheesh Theekshana dropped a skier from Mahipal Lomror at mid-off in the same over. The Bangalore batter, however, failed to open his account, top-edging a cut off Tushar Deshpande to cover point. Du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell then hit a flurry of fours and sixes as RCB reached 75/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Du Plessis raced to 50 in only 23 balls, while Maxwell got there in 24 balls by clubbing Matheesha Pathirana for consecutive fours. In the same over, the 10th of the innings, he also launched the pacer for a 94-meter six over backward square leg.
The RCB skipper got a reprieve in the next over as Theekshana dropped another catch, this time off his own bowling. At the other end, Maxwell struck two more sixes before perishing to Theekshana, skying a heave. MS Dhoni took a very well-judged catch.
Moeen Ali was slammed for two maximums in the 14th over, but the off-spinner had his revenge as Du Plessis top-edged a slog-sweep, with Dhoni holding on to another skier.
The wicket effectively sealed the match in Chennai’s favor even though Dinesh Karthik (28 off 14) played an impressive cameo.
Conway, Dube star as CSK post 226/6
Conway and Dube played terrific knocks as Chennai put up a healthy 226/6 on the board. Sent into bat after losing the toss, CSK lost Ruturaj Gaikwad (3) to Mohammed Siraj as the batter flicked a delivery on the pads, only for Wayne Parnell to take an excellent catch, sliding to his left at long leg.
Conway and Ajinkya Rahane (37 off 20) added 74 runs for the second wicket. The latter took on Parnell in the last over of the powerplay and crunched him for two fours and a six. At the other end, Conway also struck a few impressive maximums. The fine stand ended when Rahane was cleaned up a googly from Wanindu Hasaranga.
Dube came and launched Maxwell for a huge six. Conway then attacked Vyshak Vijaykumar and clubbed him for two fours and a six in the 12th over to race into the 70s. The duo went after Vyshak in his next over as well, which went for 19. The 80-run stand ended when Harshal Patel cleaned up Conway with a dipping yorker.
Dube reached a 25-ball fifty by smashing Parnell for a six down the ground. His impressive innings ended in the same over as he was caught at deep midwicket off the left-arm pacer. Ambati Rayudu (14 off 6) and Moeen Ali (19* off 9) played handy cameos for CSK even as Ravindra Jadeja (10 off 8) struggled to get going.
RCB vs CSK: Who Won Player of the Match in yesterday’s IPL 2023 match?
CSK opener Conway scored a fantastic 83 off 45, while Dube made an impact with a quick-fire half-century. With the ball, Deshpande claimed three wickets.
For RCB, Du Plessis and Maxwell gave the team hope in the chase with hard-hitting knocks.
Conway was named the Player of the Match for his wonderful innings.
