By CS Chiwanza.
Devon Conway was sublime as he struck a brilliant half-century to lead Chennai Super Kings to an eight-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on Monday.
The South Africa-born opener’s 83 off 45, which featured six sixes and six fours, created the foundation of CSK’s 227 for six. Despite thrilling half-centuries from Glenn Maxwell (76 off 36) and Faf du Plessis (62 off 33), RCB only managed 218 for eight wickets.
Coming into this match, Conway scored 98 runs in four matches. But the New Zealand international showed his 360-degree ability at the crease as he almost doubled that in a single innings. The left-hander chose a good time to get his form back.
Conway had invaluable support from Ajinkya Rahane (37 off 20) and Shivam Dube (52 off 27). Conway and Rahane got the ball rolling with a 74-run partnership that came off 43 balls.
That partnership was followed up by an 80-run partnership Conway shared with Shivam Dube, and it was the partnership that put the game beyond RCB’s reach. Those 80 runs came off 37 deliveries.
Du Plessis and Maxwell fight hard for RCB
RCB have developed a reputation for being the side that bleeds runs in the middle overs. They were no different in this encounter, conceding 112 runs for no wickets between the seventh and 15th overs.
With a firm foundation, Ambati Rayudu (14 off 6) and Moeen Ali (19 off 9), were able to come in and play short cameos that catapulted CSK to a total close to 230.
Unlike CSK, RCB only had a single partnership worth more than 50 runs. Du Plessis and Maxwell fought to keep RCB in the contest with an exhibition on power-hitting that spurned a monumental third-wicket partnership. Their 126-run partnership is now RCB’s highest third-wicket partnership.
During the course of the partnership, Du Plessis, who is now the new orange cap holder with 259 runs, raced to his second-fastest IPL half-century. It took him 23 balls to reach his 28th IPL 50. Maxwell faced one ball more, just 24 balls to bring up his 15th IPL 50.
After the dismissal of both players, things fell apart for RCB. Dinesh Karthik (28 off 14) tried to put up a rearguard counterpunch, and RCB would have fancied their chances had he stayed at the crease till the last over.
RCB have a rather short batting line-up, and Karthik’s dismissal meant the tail had to score at 12 runs an over. It was too much to ask.
Tushar Deshpande was CSK’s most successful bowler with three wickets for 45 runs in four overs. Mohammed Siraj, on the other hand, was RCB’s best bowler with one wicket for 30 runs in four overs.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (capt), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Wayne Parnell, Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Yyshak.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande.