Images from the IPL 2022 match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MCA International Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.
Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell led a clinical bowling performance to help Royal Challengers Bangalore register a 13-run win over Chennai Super Kings, pushing the defending champions to the brink of elimination in the IPL 2022 match at the MCA International Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.
Skipper Faf du Plessis (38 off 22) and Virat Kohli (30 off 33) gave RCB a good start, before Mahipal Lomror rallied them in the middle overs with a quickfire 42 from 27 balls. Dinesh Karthik blasted 27 not out from 17 balls to guide RCB to 173/8 in their 20 overs.
RCB came up with a disciplined performance with the ball as CSK finished on 160/8, despite a fifty by opener Devon Conway (56).
While Maxwell registered excellent figures of 2/22 off his four overs, Harshal chipped away with important wickets at the end, to finish with 3/35.
RCB snapped their three-match losing streak, as they rose to fourth position in the points table with 12 points from 11 games, while CSK are on the brink of elimination with just three wins from 10 games
CSK made a good start courtesy of Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad (28) but left-arm spinner Shabaz and Maxwell took a flurry of wickets between the 7th and 10th overs to put RCB in control.
Conway kept CSK in the hunt with a 37-ball 56 but he was was caught in the deep off Maxwell.
With 56 needed off the last five overs, Ravindra Jadeja miscued the slow delivery from Harshal and was caught by Kohli at long-off.
Harshal struck another important blow, when he got the well-set Moeen Ali for 34, as he was also deceived by the slower ball and was caught at mid-off.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni could not work his magic with the bat as he pulled Josh Hazlewood straight into the hands of deep midwicket to fall for 2, as CSK continued their disappointing run in IPL 2022.
Earlier, CSK spin duo of Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana spun a web around RCB batters to restrict them to 173/8.
The CSK spinners made full use of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bowl first as a fit-again Ali (2/28) and Theekshana (3/27) shared five wickets between them.
While Ali rattled the top-order getting rid of the opening pair of Virat Kohli (30 off 33) and Faf du Plessis (38 off 22), Theekshana snapped three wickets in the penultimate over.
Dwaine Pretorius (1/42) was the other wicket taker for CSK.
Mahipal Lomror was the top-scorer as he smashed a 27-ball 42 while Dinesh Karthik (26 not out off 17) hit some lusty blows towards the end to help RCB go past the 170-run mark.
Kohli and du Plessis (38 off 22) batted with authority as the two veterans pummelled the inexperienced pace duo of Mukesh Choudhary (0/30) and Simarjeet Singh (0/21) in the Power-play.
The opening pair extracted 57 runs in the first six overs, RCB's highest Powerplay total this season.
With the uncapped talent going for runs aplenty, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni introduced spin, which slowed down the proceedings for RCB.
With the pitch offering turn and bounce, England off-spinner Ali, who returned to the side after an ankle injury, broke the dangerous partnership as du Plessis found Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket in the eighth over.
A horrible mix up between Kohli and new-man Glenn Maxwell (3) spelt the end of the big-hitting Australian's short stay in the middle. It was the fourth time that Kohli was involved in a run-out this season.
The CSK bowlers did a tremendous job after an expensive start.
RCB was trying to recover from the twin blows, when Ali bowled a brilliant delivery. He pitched the ball up outside off, inviting Kohli for the drive. However, the ball turned past the inside edge and clattered the stumps, the former Indian skipper's struggles against Ali's spin continued.
Lomror and Rajat Patidar (21) shared a quick 44-run stand but Dhoni re-introduced pace in the form of Pretorius and the South African struck in his very first delivery, getting rid of Patidar.
Lomror was dropped on 33 by Jadeja, but the batter couldn't capitalise on the reprieve as he became Theekshana's first victim in the 19th over.
The Sri Lankan then went on to dismiss compatriot Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed.
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