Hello All,
Welcome to another weekend doubleheader. It’s RCB vs CSK for an early start in Dubai. RCB sitting well placed and CSK at the bottom of the table is quite a rare thing to observe at the business end of the tournament. RCB will be donning their green outfits today spreading the importance of a greener tomorrow. RCB would look to keep their winning momentum while CSK will be playing for pride and a mathematical possibility of making the play-offs. RCB maintaining a good composure this year is quite a change observed and have rarely crumbled. CSK on the other hand has crumbled which was never observed before. Going into the toss.
It’s toss time here at Dubai, the RCB captain calls it right and they have decided to bat first. RCB have made one change to their team- Moeen Ali comes in place Isuru Udana. CSK giving opportunities to the untested- Santner and Monu come in place of Josh and Shardul.
IPL 2020: Match 44. RCB vs CSK.
Live from- Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Time- 3:30 IST
Broadcast- Star Sports Network (1 English) and (3 Hindi) and Disney+hotstar for online streaming.
Umpires- Richard Illingworth & Chettithody Shamshuddin
3rd umpire- KN Anantha Padmanabhan
Match official- Prakash Bhatt.
Teams:
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, N Jagadeesan, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Imran Tahir, Monu Kumar.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Moeen Ali, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Chris Morris, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Devdutt Padikkal and Finch to open the innings for RCB. Chahar will open the attack for CSK. Good ball to start and Dev lets it go. Takes a single off the next ball. Finch on strike walks down to negotiate the swing and gets a couple. A good outswinger the next. Finch then gets one to free his arms and lofts it over mid-off for a boundary. Then he flicks the next one through square leg for another boundary. RCB are 11/0 after 1.
Monu Kumar the debutant to bowl from the other end. Starts with 2 dots good swing there. Dev takes a single off the third. Bowls a couple of wides then Finch tries to muscle one but misses it completely. The last ball he bowls down the leg and Finch gets a freebie and a boundary to end the over through short fine leg. RCB are 18/0 after 2. Chahar to resume, good outswinger to start. Dev then gets a wide one and he gets a maximum over backward point. Two singles and 2 dots to end the third. RCB are 26/0.
Sam Curran is introduced in the attack, 4 singles and a wide later, Finch advances again and Sam bowls a short one- He tries to go over covers but hits it to Gaikwad at extra cover. Finch goes early again. Kohli walks in at 3. A dot to end the over. RCB are 31/1 after 4.
Mitchell Santner is introduced in the attack, Kohli takes a single off the first. Dev then sweeps one over backward square leg for a boundary. Just two singles of the 4 balls. RCB are 38/1 after 5. Sam continues, three singles and then Dev gets one on his pads and he flicks one behind square for another boundary. A dot and single to finish the over. RCB are 46/1 after 6.
Santner to resume, and what a catch there in the deep. It’s that man Faf again! Dev tries the slog sweep and Faf in the deep at long-on runs to his left and takes a catch but he was going over and he relays it to Gaikwad to end Dev’s stay at the crease. AB comes in at 4. 5 singles to end the over. RCB are 51/2 after 7. Imran Tahir is brought in the attack. Just 4 singles from that over. Good bowling from Tahir. Santner to continue a dot and the AB plays a good shot there, Tahir misses it and a boundary for AB. 4 singles to end the over. RCB are 63/2 after 9.
Time for strategic time-out between RCB vs CSK- Both teams look satisfied with the performance. RCB would like to accelerate a bit with both AB and Kohli settling down nicely. CSK would like to break this partnership and get through the RCB middle order. Tahir to continue after the break, 5 singles and then AB plays the cut, cuts it hard for another boundary. At the halfway stage RCB are 72/2. Santner to bowl his final, bowls another tidy over just 3 from it. He finishes his spell with 1/23. RCB are 75/2 after 11.
Tahir to resume, just two singles from 4 balls, Kohli takes the charge hits one straight back a chance there for Tahir but he misses it, Santer there in the deep makes a good save saving a run. 3 runs taken. A single to end the over. RCB are 81/2 after 12. Jadeja is introduced in the attack. Ab takes a single. The next ball Kohli slaps one straight back similar to last over from Tahir and Jadeja too could not hold on to it, another chance gone begging. Just a single and double to end the over. RCB reach 86/2 after 13.
Tahir to bowl his final, starts with a dot. The next ball AB drives it handsomely through the extra cover for a boundary. Some shot that! A double and a single later, Kohli dances down the track and hits past Tahir for a boundary. Also bringing up the 50 partnership between the pair. Tahir finishes with 0/30. RCB are 97/2 after 14.
Jadeja back to bowl and just gives 4 singles from it. Good tight bowling this from CSK. Monu comes back in the attack, starts off with 3 singles and a wide. Bowls a waist-high full toss for a no-ball taken for 2. AB in strike for free-hit, Monu bowls an excellent yorker just a single. Two singles and the last ball AB puts it over the long-leg fence for a boundary. 13 runs from it. RCB are 114/2 after 16. Time-out is taken between RCB vs CSK. CSK have bowled excellently in the middle they have choked the boundaries especially their spinners not giving away easy boundaries. RCB would now like to accelerate to get beyond 150 for a fighting total.
Jadeja to resume, 2 singles to start, and then Kohli hits one straight back over the bowlers head for a maximum. Kohli’s 200th six in IPL. Beautifully played that. Three singles to end the over. RCB are 125/2 after 17. Chahar is brought back, Kohli starts with a double and a single. Then Chahar breaks the partnership- AB departs. Tries to up the ante, but his lofted shot is not middled and a simple catch to Faf in the deep. Big wicket that for CSK. Moeen Ali walks in at 5. Two singles and a double to end the over. RCB are 132/3 after 18.
Sam to bowl his third, and gets his countryman out. Ali goes for 1. He tried to get it over long-off but hits it straight down the throat of Santner. RCB lose another one. Morris walks in at 6. A wide and two singles later, Sam bowls a no-ball (waist-high), Kohli takes a single and another 50 for the RCB captain. He sure likes to play against CSK. The Free-hit ball, Sam bowls an excellent short ball and hits Morris on his helmet and a dot ball. A single of the next ball. Sam gets another wicket- Kohli has to depart now. Excellent slower one that, completely foxed Kohli. A straight forward catch to long-off.
Excellent over that for Sam, just 6 runs and 2 big wickets there. CSK surely in the driving seat here. Chahar to bowl the final. Gurkeerat takes a single off the first. Morris swings and misses the second. Chahar gets the better of Morris on the third. Full and straight yorker, Morris swings and misses and Chahar hits. Wickets keep tumbling for RCB. Sundar walks out in the middle and greets Chahar with a boundary over extra cover, what a shot that from Sundar. Two singles to end the over and RCB end with 145/6.
So a decent score by RCB in the end. The pitch is certainly on the slower side. Not easy to come out and play your shots from ball 1. CSK have bowled well though. Finch and Dev could not continue after getting a start. Then the Kohli-AB pair stitched a 50+ partnership but they could not get going as CSK spinners bowled tight lines and length. RCB looking for a late burst could not get it. Sam and Chahar bowled well in the end. Just 20 runs scored in the last 3 and RCB lost 4 wickets as well. CSK’s chase coming right up.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Du Plessis to open the innings for CSK. Washington Sundar will open the attack for RCB. An excellent over from Sundar right on the money. Just a single off it. CSK are 1/0 after 1. Morris to partner Sundar. Starts with three singles. A dot and then Faf flicks on through short fine leg for a boundary. Last ball and Faf does one better, A hoick and a maximum over long-on. Just the over CSK needed to release the pressure. RCB are 14/0 after 2.
Sundar to resume, starts with a dot, Gaikwad dances down the track and hits it handsomely over wide mid-off for a maximum. Two doubles and a single to end the over. CSK are 25/0 after 3. Siraj is brought in the attack, starts with a dot. The next ball, Gaikwad makes some room and hits it over extra cover for a boundary. What a shot that from the young man. Takes a single off the next. Now Faf joins in the party, plays the scoop shot and a boundary. The next ball Faf plays the scoop again and this time even better connection and it goes all the way for a maximum. What a shot that!
CSK are flying high. 15 runs from that over. CSK are 40/0 after 4. Chahal is brought in the attack, first ball gets the edge for Gaikwad and it’s just to quick, AB could not hold onto it. It also balloons in the air but falls just wide of Kohli at first slip, they take a single. 3 singles and a double to end the over. CSK are 46/0 after 5. Morris is brought back and gets the breakthrough for RCB. Faf has to depart. He tried to go over extra-cover but just hits it high and Siraj collects the catch- Two fielders were running for it. Rayudu walks in at 3. Gaikwad takes a double and rest are dots in the over. CSK are 48/1 after 6.
Moeen Ali comes in to bowl, jus gives 5 singles off his first over. CSK are 53/1 after 7. Chahal resumes, starts with a dot. A loud shout for LBW but the umpire is unmoved. RCB don’t take a review probably as Rayudu had come a long way down. Takes a single the next ball. Gaikwad then sweeps and gets a boundary with help of perfect placement. Gaikwad gets beaten the next and a single to end the over. CSK are 59/1 after 8. Ali resumes and Gaikwad greets him with a 6 over wide long-on. Positive intent there from the young man. A dot and single later Rayudu is all squared up no first slip and the ball races to another boundary. CSK are 71/1 after 9.
So time for a strategic time between RCB vs CSK. CSK are certainly playing positive cricket and Gaikwad especially has come out all guns blazing. RCB can take a leaf out of Punjab’s match and take the game as deep as possible. Chahal needs to play an important role for RCB. Time to regroup for RCB. Saini returns bowls two excellent balls and then bowl one short and wide and Rayudu gets to free his arms and slashes it over point for a maximum. A dot later again a short ball and Rayudu again plays it over point for a boundary. A single to finish the over. CSK are 82/1 after 10.
Sundar to continue and Rayudu sweeps one to start off with a boundary. Pressure on Sundar now. 5 singles to finish the over. CSK are 91/1 after 11. Siraj to continue and Rayudu takes a single. Gaikwad then places the next beautifully through the covers for a boundary. Takes a single of the next. Bowls a bouncer and just falls short of the fielder in the deep. A dot and then Rayudu then gives a charge and hits out straight down the ground for a maximum. CSK are in a hurry to get the target. It’s 105/1 after 12. Sundar to resume, he bowls a tidy over this time just 6 runs from it.
It’s time-out between RCB vs CSK. Well it’s all CSK here. RCB are clueless. CSK cruising here and RCB would hope they could choke and loose the game. Taking wickets is the only way possible now for RCB. CSK would like to continue with this pair till the end. Chahal to resume after the break. Two singles to start with and then gets the wicket of Rayudu. Rayudu tries to sweep and plays down the wrong line and finds his off stump knocked back. Will that be the wicket RCB were looking for? MS Dhoni comes in at 4. 3 singles to end the over. It’s Gaikwads first 50 as well! CSK end at 116/2.
Morris comes back in the attack, starts with a dot then takes a single. Bowls a wide the next ball. A single and dot later Morris bowls a short one and Dhoni pulls one to the boundary. The next ball is the exact same ball and the same result again. CSK are 127/2 after 15. Saini to continue and bowls an excellent over just 4 singles from it. CSK are 131/2 after 16. Just 15 needed from 24 balls. Chahal to continue and gives just 5 singles from it. Good bowling that from Chahal. CSK are136/2 after 17.
Saini to continue and Dhoni gets one over mid-off for a boundary. The next off the over some great variations and yorker bowling from Saini there. Just 4 runs from it. CSK are 140/2 after 18. 6 needed from 12 balls. Morris back in. Starts with a dot. The next ball Gaikwad lofts one over mid-wicket for a boundary. Just 2 needed for win. Another dot and then Gaikwad pulls one and gets a maximum and CSK win 8 wickets and 8 balls remaining.
Awards:
Ruturaj Gaikwad – Dream11 game-changer of the match.
Faf du Plessis – Altroz super striker of the match.
Ruturaj Gaikwad- Unacademy – Let’s crack it.
Faf du Plessis – Cred power player of the match.
Ruturaj Gaikwad– Man of the Match.
Well it seems that CSK are peaking at the wrong time alas ending well would certainly help them and their confidence. It was another typical CSK performance. Their team was built for such pitches which were similar to CSK’s home ground. Starting well and then spinners choking runs in the middle overs with spin and ending well. Finch and Dev again wasted their opening start. Kohli and AB tried but got into a web for CSK spinners. Losing wicket in clumps in the end did not help either. In batting Faf and Gaikwad gave a solid start.
Gaikwad returned with an impressive fifty along with Rayudu made the RCB bowlers pay and Dhoni just doing Dhoni things in the end for a comfortable win. RCB bowlers also missed the opportunity by not learning by how CSK bowled- Slower and Pace off the ball. CSK bossing RCB this time. Time for RCB to go back to the drawing board and learn from this. Another loss in the Green Jersey for RCB. Let’s take a look in the standings. For more IPL content click here.
Watch the Match Highlights of RCB vs CSK here-
Stay tuned for Chapter 14 coming up next. Till then Happy Reading! Ciao.
Vivek Nair
