IPL 2023, RCB VS CSK: Conway, Dube Propelled Chennai to Their Third Win

IPL 2023, RCB VS CSK: It was another run-fest at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) outclassed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to claim their third win of the season on Monday, April 17. With this CSK jumps to third place with six points in five games. Meanwhile, RCB slips to the seventh position with 2 wins and 3 defeats.

Batting first on a brilliant batting surface, CSK got off to a slow start with Mohammed Siraj dismissing the in-form CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad in the fourth over. But fellow opener Devon Conway and seasoned Ajinkya Rahane took the attack to RCB and forged an important 74-run stand to turn the tide of the game. Rahane scored a quickfire 20-ball 37, hitting two fours and five sixes. Wanindu Hasaranga’s googly outfoxed him in the 10th over.

Shivam Dube walked in and picked up where Rahane left off, going all out against RCB like he did last year as well. He kept the foot on the paddle and stitched an important 80-run partnership, which came in just 37 balls to get CSK firmly in the driver’s seat in Bengaluru. Conway fell 17 runs short of his maiden IPL hundred. Harshal Patel’s dipping yorker dismissed him. Moeen Ali played an important cameo of 9-ball 19 to propel his team to their highest total against RCB-226 for 6 after 20 overs.

IPL 2023, RCB VS CSK: Chennai Bowlers Hold Nerves in Chinnaswamy Run Fest

Chasing a mammoth total, RCB needed to up the ante right from the start. They had to hunt down the highest successful run chase in IPL history. In-form Virat Kohli perished in the very first over of the innings while trying to play a big shot on the leg side off Akash Singh. Despite the reprieve, Mahipal Lomror got out to give an ideal start to the visitors. At 15/2, Glenn Maxwell joined skipper Faf du Plessis and the two-star batters decided to take the attack to the CSK bowlers. Both were unfazed by the loss of two early wickets. It was carnage from both the batters. The match-ups were ridiculed as Maxwell and Faf were in no mood to stop.

As long as they were batting, it seemed like RCB will cross the line comfortably. The overseas pair scored runs at a brisk pace and transferred the pressure back to the Chennai team. A 126-run stand for the third wicket between Faf and Maxwell reduced the equation. The game was perfectly hung in balance and the team had to score 86 runs from 8 overs. That’s when Maheesh Theekshana provided the crucial breakthrough for Maxwell. Faf couldn’t carry on for too long and gave his wicket away in Moeen Ali’s over. Dinesh Karthik tried but couldn’t deliver as Tushar Deshpande and Matheesha Pathirana kept it tight in the end to deny RCB a win.