IPL 2021: CSK vs RCB - Who won today’s match?

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ended Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)'s unbeaten run in IPL 2021 with a thumping 69-run victory in Mumbai on Sunday.

Ravindra Jadeja was absolutely sensational with both bat and ball for CSK, as RCB had no answer to his brilliance on the day. Jadeja first slammed an unbeaten 62 off 28 balls, whacking Harshal Patel for five sixes in the last over of CSK’s innings.

After CSK put up an impressive 191 for 4 batting first, Jadeja spun a web around RCB batsmen with exceptional figures of 3 for 13; his victims included the dangerous duo of Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers. Jadeja also effected the run-out of Dan Christian on a day he could do no wrong.

RCB came out all guns blazing in their chase of 192. Captain Virat Kohli whipped the first ball from Deepak Chahar to the long-leg boundary. In the second over, the in-form Devdutt Padikkal cracked two sixes off Sam Curran - the first over deep square leg and the second over point.

Paddikal hammered three fours in Chahar’s next over. The entertainment was short-lived, though, as Curran sent Virat Kohli (8) back with a slower ball which the RCB captain could only edge behind the stumps.

Padikkal’s stay ended on 34 off 15 when he mistimed a pull off Shardul Thakur and was caught at backward square. Washington Sundar (7), who was promoted up the order, dragged a length ball from Jadeja to deep midwicket.

There was no end to RCB’s batting woes, as Glenn Maxwell (22) was too early into a slog and was cleaned up by Jadeja. At 79 for 4, CSK were firmly on top, and they kept asserting their dominance. Dan Christian made the lethal mistake of challenging Jadeja’s arm and was run out for 1.

He is here. He is there. @imjadeja is everywhere.A direct hit and Christian is run outBowls a beauty that crashes into ABD's middle stump.Jadeja has 3 wickets from 3 overs!https://t.co/wpoquMXdsr #CSKvRCB #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/Y10kHEqb7m

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 25, 2021

Any faint hopes RCB had of pulling off an improbable win vanished when Jadeja got one to rip past AB de Villiers (4)'s outside edge and castling him in the process.

Harshal Patel got a caught behind decision overturned via DRS but was soon bowled by Imran Tahir. The leg-spinner added the scalp of Navdeep Saini (2) as CSK marched on.

Tahir also secured a stunning direct hit from square leg to run out Kyle Jamieson (16) as RCB crawled to 122 for 9 by the close of their innings.

Ravindra Jadeja’s six-hitting spree lifts CSK to 191 for 4

Ravindra Jadeja Pic: IPLT20.COM

Ravindra Jadeja clobbered five sixes in the last over of CSK’s innings to lift the three-time champions to 191 for 4 after they batted first on winning the toss. In all, 37 came off the last over bowled by RCB’s designated death bowler Harshal Patel, equalling the record for the most expensive over in IPL history.

Patel had tasted success with the slower ball earlier in the innings, but against Jadeja, that just did not work. The first ball of the last over was an off-cutter. Jadeja knew what was coming and launched it nonchalantly over the ropes between long-on and deep midwicket. The next one was a full ball and got the same treatment.

Next ball, Patel went round the wicket and delivered a high full toss that was slashed to deep midwicket. To exacerbate matters for RCB, that was a no-ball too. The free hit was pulled to deep midwicket for another six as Jadeja brought up his fifty off 25 balls.

After being dropped at extra cover, Jadeja celebrated by clubbing a six over long-on. He equalled the record for most runs hit in an over with a last-ball four that was crunched over square leg. Jadeja had ended the 19th over on 26 off 21. An over later, he raced to 62 off 28.

6, 6, 6+Nb, 6, 2, 6, 4@imjadeja has hammered Harshal Patel for 36 runs. A joint record for most runs scored by a batsman in 1 over of #VIVOIPL ever! pic.twitter.com/1nmwp9uKc0

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 25, 2021

RCB had to pay dearly for dropping Jadeja before he had opened his account. In the 15th over bowled by Washington Sundar, Jadeja pulled one to deep midwicket, where Dan Christian put down a sitter.

Earlier, CSK got off to a good start in their innings, as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis added 74 for the opening wicket. Both batsmen looked fluent out in the middle. Du Plessis stepped out and whipped Mohammed Siraj for a six over long-on to begin the third over.

The runs kept flowing freely after that. In the seventh over, Gaikwad launched Yuzvendra Chahal straight down the ground.

The dangerous partnership ended when Gaikwad (33) slog-swept Chahal to deep square leg. That kickstarted a collapse of sorts, as Suresh Raina (24), having clubbed a couple of sixes, slogged an off-cutter from Patel to deep midwicket. The very next ball, Du Plessis, who had just completed a patient fifty, holed out to long-on.

Ambati Rayudu (14) also perished cheaply as CSK seemed to have lost their way after a confident start. Jadeja, however, put CSK back on top with a spectacular knock.

IPL 2021: CSK vs RCB - Man of the match

CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja had a sensational day in the office. After blazing his way to an unbeaten 62 off just 28 balls, he ran through RCB’s batting with figures of 3 for 13. His victims included RCB big guns Maxwell and De Villiers, both bowled.

CSK leg-spinner Imran Tahir was also impressive, claiming two for 16 in his four overs. Opener Faf du Plessis continued his good run for CSK, scoring a fluent 50. earlier in the match.

For RCB, Harshal Patel picked up three wickets before he was pummelled by Jadeja in the last over of the CSK innings. But it was Ravindra Jadeja who was the obvious choice for the Man of the Match award after his spectacular all-round effort.