Ravindra Jadeja (62* off 28, 4-1-13-3, a run out) single-handedly helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) humiliate Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 69 runs in Match 19 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The win took Chennai to the top of the points table, dethroning RCB.
Chennai piled up 191/4 after MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat first. Jadeja equalled the IPL record of 37 runs in an over, off Harshal Patel (3-51), in the final over of the Chennai innings. The sequence read 6, 6, NB6, 2, 6, 6, 4. Earlier, Faf du Plessis had notched up his second consecutive half-century.
However, apart from Devdutt Padikkal (34 off 15), no Bangalore batter seemed capable of taking them close to Chennai’s score. They ended at 122/9.
Gaikwad, du Plessis get off to a fine start
Du Plessis hit a boundary off the first ball he had faced, from Mohammed Siraj. Two overs later, his partner Ruturaj Gaikwad charged down the ground and lofted over mid-off to get his first four. Gaikwad played second fiddle in the opening four overs. Du Plessis scored 23 out of CSK’s 31 in this period.
Coming to bowl the last over of the Powerplay, Navdeep Saini failed to leave an impact. It was his first over in IPL 2021, and the CSK pair took 14 off it. In fact, the RCB bowlers remained wicketless in the first six overs for the first time in this season.
Chahal draws first blood
The first wicket of the match came in the 10th over. Yuzvendra Chahal removed Gaikwad (33 off 25) after the latter mistimed a loopy leg-break before sweeping and hit to Kyle Jamieson at deep backward square.
‘Chinna Thala’ joins the party
Suresh Raina did not take time to settle in. He smashed three sixes and a four during his short stay. Raina, along with du Plessis, added 37 in 27 balls to ensure CSK got going despite Gaikwad’s departure. Chennai were 110/1 after 13 overs.
Harshal arrives, unsettles CSK middle order
Harshal, the Purple Cap holder, dismissed the duo in back-to-back deliveries in the 14th. In the next over, Washington Sundar almost had Jadeja, but Dan Christian dropped a sitter at the deep mid-wicket. Jadeja had not opened his account at this point.
Jadeja and Ambati Rayudu added 31 runs in the 4th wicket. Coming to bowl the 18th over, Harshal, once again, delivered and picked up his third of the match by sending Rayudu (14) back.
Rockstar Jaddu pulls off a show at Wankhede
Just when things started to go in RCB’s way, Jadeja unleashed himself. The sequence of scoring in Harshal’s fateful over read 6, 6, NB6, 2, 6, 6, 4. Harshal had started the over with 3-0-14-3; he finished on 4-0-51-3.
Padikkal gets off to a flying start
Padikkal began the run chase just where he left the last game. He and Virat Kohli added 44 in the first three overs to give RCB a decent start.
CSK bowlers counterattack, rattle RCB batters
However, their opening partnership did not last long this time. In the fourth over, Sam Curran bowled a slower delivery outside off. Kohli (8) edged it to Dhoni.
In the next over, Shardul Thakur (4-0-11-1) came to the action and had the dangerous-looking Padikkal (34 off 15) caught at fine-leg. RCB were 65/2 after the Powerplay.
Ravindra Jadeja! One Man Army!
Washington Sundar failed to make the most of his promotion to No. 3. Jadeja induced a mishit in the seventh over to get him. He then got Glenn Maxwell (22) and AB de Villiers (4), and ran out Dan Christian with a direct hit.
Imran Tahir (4-0-16-2) chipped in as well, with two wickets and a run-out. RCB, out of nowhere, went from 79/3 to 94/8 in a span of four overs and never found a way back.
Brief scores:
Chennai Super Kings 191/4 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 62*, du Plessis 50; Harshal Patel 3-51) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 122/9 in 20 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 34; Ravindra Jadeja 3-13, Imran Tahir 2-16) by 69 runs. Player of the match: Ravindra Jadeja.