CRICKET – Tim David detonated a late-overs onslaught, backed by blazing contributions from skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hammered Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 43 runs in their IPL clash yesterday, turning the contest into a one-sided affair with both bat and ball.
Padikkal (50, 29 balls) and David (70 off 25 ) dismantled a clueless Super Kings attack with a stunning display of clean hitting, while Patidar chipped in with a whirlwind unbeaten 48 off 19 balls to keep the pressure relentless.
CSK’s reply never quite left the runway either, as they folded for 207 in 19.4 overs, slumping to their third successive defeat of the season despite sporadic resistance in the middle.
Once Sanju Samson, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ayush Mhatre departed with only 30 runs on the board, the chase was effectively derailed and the visitors were left in salvage mode.
Pacer Jacob Duffy (2/58) inflicted the early blows in this collapse, dismissing Samson and Gaikwad, both of who were snapped up by Padikkal at first slip.
Samson’s lean patch in the IPL with his new franchise persisted, a sharp contrast to his fluent strokeplay during the T20 World Cup.
The Kerala batter attempted an overly delicate steer against Duffy with a perpendicular bat when the more straightforward cut shot from that position would have been wiser, resulting only in a soft edge to Padikkal.
Mhatre’s dismissal handed seasoned seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar his 200th IPL wicket, making him only the second bowler after Yuzvendra Chahal to reach that landmark.
Sarfaraz Khan fought hard with a spirited 25-ball 50, but the required rate and scoreboard pressure made the task virtually impossible on the night.
Sarfaraz’s stay was ended by Krunal Pandya (2/36), and Bhuvneshwar (3/41) later removed Prashant Veer (43), breaking a 57-run stand between Veer and Jamie Overton (37) as the famed Southern Derby fizzled out without any dramatic finish.
l Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant (68*) came to the party against the Sunrisers Hyderabad when he slammed a gritty half century, helping his team complete a tricky chase at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium yesterday, winning by 5 wickets. He was aptly supported by Abdul Samad with the duo building on the start set up by Aiden Markram’s 45.
Mitchell Marsh and Ayush Badoni could only contribute 14 and 12 respectively while big hitter Nicholas Pooran threw away his wicket after a terrible misjudgment that led to his run out in a bizarre manner with LSG 105/4.
&uuid=(email))