Captain Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 90 helped Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Chennai Super Kings by 37 runs on Saturday. In the match played in Dubai, Bangalore batting first scored 169 runs for four wickets. In response, the Chennai Super Kings team could only manage 132 runs for 8 wickets. Ambati Rayudu contributed 42 and Jagdishan contributed 33 runs for Chennai. Bangalore bowler Chris Morris, playing the first match, took three wickets for 19 runs. The contribution of Washington Sundar (2/16) was also notable.
Earlier, batting Bangalore had lost the wicket of Aaron Finch (02) in the third over but Virat Kohli took over the innings. The Bangalore captain hit four fours and as many sixes in his 52-ball innings. He shared a 53-run partnership for the second wicket with opener Devdutt Padikkal (33). Shardul Thakur gets Devdutt caught out by Fof du Plessis. The team had huge expectations from AB de Villiers but could not even open the account.
Kohli also added a crucial unbeaten 76 with Shivam Dubey (22) on the fifth wicket. It is amazing of Kohli’s fitness that he took two runs four times in the last over. Bangalore scored 74 runs in the final five overs.
The Chennai bowlers had allowed 95 runs in the first 15 overs. Shardul Thakur took two wickets for 40 runs while Deepak Chahar and Sam Karan took one wicket each. Veteran Dwayne Bravo spent 29 runs in three overs.
