IPL 2018, CSK vs RCB: RCB losing Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in consecutive overs is the SK Turning Point of the game

After losing two out of their last three games, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) got back to winning ways as they beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 6 wickets and two overs to spare. This was their seventh win and the MS Dhoni-led side roared back to the top of the points table.

After winning the toss, CSK inserted RCB into bat and had a good start as Lungi Ngidi foxed the dangerous Brendon McCullum with a clever slower delivery. RCB were 9/1 but Parthiv Patel, playing his first game of the season looked very good in the powerplay. He found the boundary at regular intervals.

He was striking the ball really well and he reached 31 off 23 balls at the end of the powerplay. RCB managed to score 47 in 6 overs and had lost only one wicket. Kohli was key for RCB but he looked scratchy in the powerplay and scored only 8 off 10 balls with the field restrictions on.

Jadeja has been underwhelming in this season but MS Dhoni introduced him as soon as the powerplay was done. He struck with his first delivery as he castled the RCB skipper Virat Kohli. The Saurashtra all-rounder fired a 100.7 kph delivery on a good length which spun just a little and beat Kohli for pace who looked to guide the ball down to third man.

AB de Villiers who missed the last two games due to viral fever then walked in at No. 4 and got off the mark straightaway. However, he tried to get too cheeky against Harbhajan Singh and went for the reverse-paddle. The South African star batsman dragged his back foot out and MS Dhoni was his usual self as he affected another lightning-quick stumping and sent back RCB’s No. 4.

Those two wickets of RCB’s star batsmen in back-to-back overs is the SK Turning Point of the match. RCB were 56/3 after those wickets and they never recovered as none of the other batsmen (barring Parthiv Patel and Tim Southee towards the end) could get going as they lost their wickets cheaply.

The visitors could only manage 127 as only two batsmen got into the double figures. The CSK spinners (Jadeja and Harbhajan) were outstanding as the choked the runs in the middle overs and picked up 5 wickets as the two bowled 8 overs in tandem.

In reply, CSK did lose Shane Watson early as Umesh Yadav bowled a fiery spell up front. But Ambati Rayudu did well once again and scored a calm 32 off 25 balls to ensure the ‘Men in Yellow’ didn’t lose a lot of wickets early on. Suresh Raina also contributed with a good-looking 25 but RCB sensed a comeback after picking up 3 quick wickets.

Dwayne Bravo then rode his luck and batted through as RCB were very sloppy in the field and the West Indian all-rounder was dropped twice in two overs.

Parthiv Patel who earlier missed a runout, dropped a tough chance off Colin de Grandhomme when Bravo was on 0. In the next over, Yuzvendra Chahal dropped an easy chance at the cover boundary off Murugan Ashwin as the RCB fielding continued to haunt them.

RCB were still afloat in the game till the 18th over despite the missed opportunities as the bowlers were very tight and didn’t allow CSK batsmen to get away.

However, with 22 runs required off the last 3 overs, the cool and calm MS Dhoni who was batting on 12 (off 17 balls) before the 18th over started once again finished off the game as he struck Chahal for three sixes and helped CSK get to their seventh win of the season. This win also helped the ‘Men in Yellow’ inch closer to the play-offs spot.

Meanwhile, RCB have fought well and have done well in the last few games but they just haven’t been able to be on the right side of the result as a collective performance in all three departments has eluded them. They now have to win all their remaining 5 games to have a chance to qualify for the playoffs.

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