- News
- Sports News
- Cricket News
- RCB vs CSK highlights, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 2 runs to claim top spot
RCB vs CSK highlights, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 2 runs to claim top spot
But they almost did the unthinkable, riding on 17-year-old Mhatre's 94 (48 balls; 9x4, 5x6), only to end up at 211 for five.
Mhatre had an astute partner in veteran Ravindra Jadeja (77 not out off 45 balls), as they together milked 114 runs for the third wicket.
The Mumbai lad began the innings by punishing seasoned pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 26 runs in the Power Play segment and he never really let that tempo down.
With the win, RCB moved to the top of the IPL table with 16 points from 11 matches.
Mhatre brought into practice all the technical nous and batting cleverness that he learned from hours of net sessions at the famed Oval maidan in Mumbai to poleaxe a RCB bowling attack sans injured pacer Josh Hazlewood.
A lot of eyebrows were raised when Mhatre was picked as injury replacement of Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of Gujarat's Urvil Patel and Kerala's Salman Nizar.
But both CSK skipper Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming had full confidence in Mhatre once they saw him at the team's selection nets ahead of this IPL, and he repaid their faith with dividends tonight.
Jadeja, a grizzly haired CSK veteran who got reprieves on 57 and 69, too, deserved a full set of compliments for staying with the young man at the other end, and guiding him through a tension-filled atmosphere.
But a rather tired-looking heave off Lungi Ngidi ended Mhatre's masterpiece as he lofted him straight to Krunal Pandya in the deep.
At that stage, CSK were 172 for two in 16.2 overs, needing 42 more runs for the victory.
Ngidi dismissed Dewald Brevis for nought to turn the tide in favour of RCB, as Yash Dayal had 15 runs to defend in the final over.
Dayal dismissed Dhoni to leave CSK to make 13 runs off three balls, which eventually became four runs in one ball.
However, the left-arm pacer's full-length delivery allowed Shivam Dube to take only a single off the last ball.
Earlier, Kohli and Bethel did the early running with well-crafted fifties before Shepherd exploded into action in the last 12 balls of the RCB innings.
Kohli and Bethel raised 97 runs in just 9.5 overs for the opening wicket.
Khaleel Ahmed tried to test Kohli with a snorter but it was pulled thunderously over fine leg for a six and in the very next ball, he flicked an over-pitched delivery for another maximum.
Bethel, on the other hand, smashed Ahmed for three successive fours in the first over, all rasping cuts and forceful drives, as RCB raced out of the traps.
Bethel brought up his maiden IPL fifty with a reverse scoop four off Jadeja. Kohli too reached his fifty soon after with a routine slap through the cover region for a four off Jadeja.
Just as the alliance was blossoming further, Bethel skied Pathirana (3/36) for Dewald Brevis to complete a fine catch.
Shortly after, Curran consumed Kohli with a slow delivery which did not allow the batter to execute a ramp over Ahmed at gully.
RCB were 121 for two in the 12th over at that stage.
However, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal failed to force the pace as RCB settled for 37 runs between overs 12 and 18.
But Shepherd waded into Ahmed (65 runs in 3 overs), slamming him for four sixes and two fours in the 19th over which yielded 33 runs.
Shepherd and Tim David raised their fifty stand for the sixth wicket in just 14 balls and the latter contributed a princely two in that alliance as RCB made 54 runs in the last two overs.
Noor Ahmad to Jitesh Sharma, A touch short, outside off, punched through the covers for a brace.
Noor Ahmad to Jitesh Sharma, Outside off, spinning away, Jitesh Sharma looks to cut but misses.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, On middle and leg, Rajat Patidar looks to play the reverse pull but misses. The ball deflects off his pads and a leg bye is taken.
- Jitesh Sharma 5 (4)
- Rajat Patidar 10 (11)
Matheesha Pathirana to Jitesh Sharma, FOUR! Super shot. A half volley, outside off, Jitesh Sharma leans and drives it between mid off and cover! 7 runs and a wicket from the over, Matheesha Pathirana's figures read 2-0-10-2.
Matheesha Pathirana to Jitesh Sharma, WIDE. Another quick bouncer, around off, too high, left alone. Wided for height.
Matheesha Pathirana to Rajat Patidar, A quick bumper, fended down to fine leg for a run.
Matheesha Pathirana to Jitesh Sharma, Outside off, a miscued pull played towards deep mid-wicket, for a single.
Matheesha Pathirana to Jitesh Sharma, Some reverse swing in, around middle and leg, Jitesh misses his flick and the ball goes between his legs to the keeper.
Matheesha Pathirana to Jitesh Sharma, Around off, pushed towards point.
Jitesh Sharma walks in next at number 5, replacing Devdutt Padikkal.
Matheesha Pathirana to Devdutt Padikkal, OUT! CAUGHT! Pathirana gets the wicket again! Not the best of balls, mind you. It is a wide ball, but Devdutt Padikkal decides to have a go at it. The slower ball does him in, as he backs away to the leg side and throws his bat at it. Miscues it high in the air, where Ravindra Jadeja makes no mistake at deep point. Padikkal departs for 17 (15) and from 97/0, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are now 144/3, in the span of 33 balls.
Oops, we missed it. But no worries, we shall mention it now. Thanks to his wonderful 62, VIRAT KOHLI HAS THE ORANGE CAP! 505 runs this season, at an average of 63.12 and a strike rate of 143.46. 7 half centuries in 11 innings. Matheesha Pathirana returns. 1-0-3-1 so far.
- Rajat Patidar 9 (10)
- Devdutt Padikkal 17 (14)
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, Quicker one, into the pitch and just darting across off. Patidar fails to pick it and look to cut but is beaten by the turn and the extra bounce as well. Well taken by Dhoni behind the stumps.
Noor Ahmad to Devdutt Padikkal, Tossed up, a bit full and on the stumps, Padikkal sits down and brooms it away through the square leg region for a single.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, Goes well short and keeps the ball well outside off, Rajat Patidar goes for the cross-batted shot and muscles it to deep mid-wicket for one more.
Noor Ahmad to Devdutt Padikkal, Another googly, Padikkal swings hard and miscues it through the leg side for a run.
Noor Ahmad to Devdutt Padikkal, Around off, spinning in, pushed back to the bowler.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, The googly, wide outside off, Rajat Patidar reaches out to slap but mistimes it off the toe end of the bat towards long off. A single taken.
- Rajat Patidar 7 (7)
- Devdutt Padikkal 15 (11)
Sam Curran to Rajat Patidar, Pace-off to end the over from Curran. Bowled back of a length and around off, tapped down through wide mid off for a single.
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, Bowled short this time and over middle, Padikkal leans back and pulls it crisply to deep mid-wicket for just a single this time.
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, SIX! BANG! Another slower one, floated up right in the slot around middle. Devdutt Padikkal hangs back in his crease and then hits through the line, smashing it back over long on for a huge six.
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, FOUR! Up and over! A length ball, outside off, Padikkal stays leg side of the ball and whacks it over mid off, one bounce and into the fence!
Just a bit of a breather as Padikkal calls for some medical help on his wrists. He has been stuggling a touch and will aim to keep up the momentum set up by the openers.
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, What happened there? A quick bouncer perhaps, Devdutt Padikkal swivelled for the pull but missed it. Now, the ball went off something and hit the back of the helmet, knocking off the added protective equiment to prevent the ball hitting the back of the head! As soon as this happened, even Sam Curran had to hold his breath, fearing the worst. Thankfully, Padikkal is okay. Hang on. The replay shows that the ball hit the wrist band.
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, Outside off, another slower ball, punched straight to mid off.
STRATEGIC TIMEOUT. This one called by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This has been a trend this season, with the batting side opting to call for the timeout around the 13th or the 14th over, treating the last 5-6 overs like another Powerplay. It has been a tough outing for Chennai Super Kings so far, with only 6 overs out of 13 going in single digits. Nearly everyone has travelled, with a slight exception in Anshul Kamboj and Ravindra Jadeja. Of course, Pathirana has bowled just 1 over. With a big batting lineup, the hosts seem poised to get to 220, but given that Pathirana has taken a wicket in his opening over, could tonight be the night where his fortunes change? Also, with two new batters in the middle, there could be a slight loss in momentum for the home side.
- Rajat Patidar 6 (6)
- Devdutt Padikkal 4 (6)
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, Three dots on the trot to close out the over! Back of a length again, around off, and this one holds its line. Patidar punches it from his crease but straight to mid off.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, Beaten again! Pulls the length back, flattening the trajectory and angles it across the right-hander again. Patidar throws his hands at it but is beaten on the angle.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, Nicely bowled! Good energy into the delivery, bowling it a smidge fuller on off. It is the googly that slides across the right-hander and Rajat Patidar is well beaten.
Noor Ahmad to Devdutt Padikkal, More evidence of turn. Around off, spinning away, Devdutt Padikkal looks to defend but the turn squares him up. The ball goes off the outside edge towards short third. A run taken.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, Around middle, Patidar looks to drive again but gets it off the inner half of the bat through mid-wicket. A quick run taken.
Noor Ahmad to Rajat Patidar, FOUR! BRILLIANT! A bit too full, outside off, Rajat Patidar moves to the leg side, opening up the off side, reaches out and drives it through the covers. Wide long off runs to his left, nearly gets to the ball with a dive but it slips under his effort.
With just 2 wins this season so far, this is CSK's least number of wins in any IPL season by far, with the next lowest being 4 in IPL 2022. Noor Ahmad is back on. 1-0-14-0 so far.
- Rajat Patidar 1 (1)
- Devdutt Padikkal 3 (5)
Sam Curran to Rajat Patidar, Short of a good length, around middle and angled in. Rajat Patidar awkwardly nudges it down into the leg side but manages to scamper through for the single.
The RCB skipper, Rajat Patidar, walks in next, at number 4, replacing Virat Kohli. This was no ordinary 50 for the King. The last time Kohli made a score in excess of 50 against CSK was way back in IPL 2021. This one will be etched in memory for a while.
Sam Curran to Virat Kohli, OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the fielder and a soft dismissal in the end for Virat Kohli. Sam Curran goes into the pitch and bowls it short, angling it across off. Kohli tries to stay leg side of the ball and leans back a bit to just guide it uppishly over backward point. However, Kohli ends up just pushing it towards backward point where Khaleel Ahmed takes a simple catch and throws the ball back into the deck as a sign of relief. A fast and furious knock from Kohli comes to an end at 62 (33) and RCB are now 121/2!
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, Pitched up on a nagging length on off, Padikkal takes half a step forward and just defends it in front of extra cover for a single.
Sam Curran to Virat Kohli, Outside off, punched through the covers for a run.
Sam Curran to Virat Kohli, MISFIELD, FOUR! Did all the hard work, but could not complete the job. A touch fuller, outside off, Virat Kohli drove this powerfully down the ground through mid off. Deepak Hooda, a bit wide at long off, raced to his right, slid across, got to the ball but it hit his leg and deflected into the ropes behind.
Sam Curran to Devdutt Padikkal, A short ball, outside off, Devdutt Padikkal slaps it towards deep point for a single.
Kohli has scored 5 fifties in his last 6 innings, averaging 104.67; averaging roughly 74 balls per dismissal on an average! Sam Curran returns. 1-0-14-0 so far.
- Virat Kohli 57 (30)
- Devdutt Padikkal 1 (3)
Ravindra Jadeja to Virat Kohli, FOUR! Kohli's had a look at Jadeja for a couple of overs, and has now just taken him to the cleaners. Tossed up, fuller and outside off, Kohli advances and swats it flat over covers for a boundary to end the over. 17 off it!
Kohli on 49...
Ravindra Jadeja to Virat Kohli, FOUR! FIFTY up for Kohli with a smashing shot! Fractionally short and a bit outside off, Virat Kohli is onto it in a flash and slaps the ball away just behind point for a boundary. A 62nd IPL half century for Kohli, simply staggering! 7th this season alone!
Ravindra Jadeja to Devdutt Padikkal, A bit more round arm from Jadeja, darted full and across off, Devdutt Padikkal reaches for it and squeezes it behind point for one.
Ravindra Jadeja to Devdutt Padikkal, Short and wide outside off, Devdutt Padikkal cuts hard but finds backward point.
Ravindra Jadeja to Devdutt Padikkal, WIDE. Fired well outside off, left alone.
Ravindra Jadeja to Virat Kohli, Flatter, around off, Kohli hangs back and dabs it towards short third for a single. Moves to 49.
Ravindra Jadeja to Virat Kohli, SIX! WHAM! Fractionally flighted, outside off, Virat Kohli gets down on a knee and mows a slog sweep. There isn't much elevation, but the ball travels like a rocket, clearing mid-wicket! Six number 5 for Kohli tonight!
Kohli has now averaged 60-plus for the second consecutive season after IPL 2024; being one of the only 3 players to average more than 60, having scored 300 runs in consecutive seasons of the IPL.
