IPL 2025 | Canny Dayal ‘Shepherds’ RCB home

Mhatre scored a 48-ball 94 with five sixes and nine fours while adding 114 runs with Jadeja (77 not out off 45 balls, 8x4s, 2x6s) for the second wicket.

Bengaluru: There can never be a dull Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings contest, doesn’t it?

Defying pre-match predictions of the latest tussle lacking the usual heavyweight sting owing to the conflicting fortunes, the two dished out an high-octane affair with RCB digging deep into their reserves for a thrilling two-run win.

First it was the turn of RCB batters to flex their muscles. Openers Jacob Bethell (55, 33b, 8x4, 2x6) and Virat Kohli (62, 33b, 5x4, 5x6) sped off the blocks like a bullet train with an explosive 97-run stand off just 59 balls before their quick dismissals in the middle phase threatened to derail RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The hosts, however, found a saviour in Romario Shepherd. The towering West Indian smashed an eye-popping 53 not out off 14 balls as Royal Challengers got the nitro boost they were desperately seeking, reaching 213/5 in 20 overs.

That innings of a lifetime from Shepherd, where everything he touched soared into the night sky, swung the momentum completely in RCB’s side. The way Shepherd fist-pumped with Tim David upon reaching his fifty with a six off the last ball of the innings and the dugout rose in jubilation, they knew a win was there for the taking. And with reason too as CSK, enduring their worst season ever, had only surpassed 200 once this season.

Ayush Mhatre, just 17 years old, and 36-year-old warhorse Ravindra Jadeja, however had other plans. Mhatre, hoping to make an impression with whatever is left of the season that could provide an impetus for his future, hit a career-defining 94 off 48 balls and forged a game-changing 114-run stand for the third wicket with Jadeja (77 n.o., 45b, 8x4, 2x6) that knocked the stuffing out of RCB.

Mhatre, much like how the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi stole the show a few days ago with a blistering century for the ages for Rajasthan Royals, batted with exemplary courage and character. Up against an in-form attack despite pace ace Josh Hazlewood missing out due to injury, Mhatre showed no fear whatsoever as he swung at everything and successfully too.

At the other end Jadeja too batted at a high tempo as CSK went about the chase briskly, the required run-rate never touching alarming levels. As the partnership kept growing and growing, Royal Challengers started to feel the jitters that saw them drop three catches — two in the 16th over and then one in the penultimate over.

It looked like RCB would bungle against their eternal rivals but Lungi Ngidi, coming in place of Hazlewood, gave them hope with a brilliant 17th over where he dismissed Mhatre and the dangerous Dewald Brevis off successive deliveries to reduce the equation to 35 off 18 balls.

Suyash Sharma then followed up with a fine 18th over where he gave away just 6 runs but CSK weren’t going down without a fight. Kohli stunningly dropped Jadeja in the penultimate over and MS Dhoni, walking to a huge ovation, blasted a six to bring it down to 15 from the last over.

The pendulum swung back and forth there too when Yash Dayal, after dismissing Dhoni off the third ball, got smacked for a six off the fourth ball that was adjudged a no-ball for going over the waistline of Shivam Dube. But Dayal held his nerve, just like how he did the last time the two sides met here a year ago, as RCB stole a 2-run win to take their tally to 16 points and strengthen their play-off hopes.

SCOREBOARD

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU: Jacob Bethell c Brevis b Pathirana 55 (33b, 8x4, 2x6), Virat Kohli c Khaleel b Curran 62 (33b, 5x4, 5x6), Devdutt Padikkal c Jadeja b Pathirana 17 (15b, 1x4, 1x6), Rajat Patidar c Curran b Pathirana 11 (15b, 1x4), Jitesh Sharma c Brevis b Noor 7 (8b, 1x4), Tim David (not out) 2 (3b), Romario Shepherd (not out) 53 (14b, 4x4, 6x6). Extras (LB-1, NB-1, W-4) 6. TOTAL (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 213.

Fall of wickets: 1-97 (Bethell), 2-121 (Kohli), 3-144 (Padikkal), 4-154 (Jitesh), 5-157 (Patidar).

Bowling: Khaleel Ahmed 3-0-65-0 (nb-1), Anshul Kamboj 3-0-25-0, Noor Ahmed 4-0-26-1, Ravindra Jadeja 3-0-26-0 (w-1), Sam Curran 3-0-34-1, Matheesa Pathirana 4-0-36-3.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Ayush Mhatre c Pandya b Ngidi 94 (48b, 9x4, 5x6) , Shaik Rasheed c Shepherd b Pandya 14 (11b, 1x4, 1x6), Sam Curran c Jitesh b Ngidi 5 (5b, 1x4), Ravindra Jadeja (not out) 77 (45b, 8x4, 2x6), Dewald Brevis lbw Ngidi 0 (1b), MS Dhoni lbw Dayal 12 (8b, 1x6), Shivam Dube (not out) 8 (1x6). Extras (NB-1) 1. Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 211.

Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Rasheed), 2-58 (Curran), 3-172 (Mhatre), 4-172 (Brevis), 5-201 (Dhoni)

Bowling: Krunal Pandya 3-0-24-1, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-55-0, Yash Dayal 4-0-41-1 (nb-1), Lungi Ngidi 4-0-30-3, Suyash Sharma 4-0-43-0, Romario Shepherd 1-0-18-0.

Result: RCB won by 2 runs.

PoM: Romario Shepherd

RCB’s next match: vs LSG (Lucknow, May 9)