On Sunday, Chennai Super Kings smashed Royal Challengers Bangalore by 69 runs, with Ravindra Jadeja smashing an IPL record-equaling 37 runs in one over and then grabbing three key wickets in an excellent all-round performance. After skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose to bat in a top-of-the-table clash, Jadeja smashed 62 off 28 balls to take CSK to 191 for four. The star all-rounder then took the crucial wickets of AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell with his slow-left arm spin bowling to derail RCB’s run chase on a sluggish Wankhede pitch.
RCB were dismissed for 122 in 20 overs after a blistering start that saw them reach 50 in five overs. Devdutt Padikkal, a multi-talented batsman, led the way with a blistering 34 off just 15 balls.
Imran Tahir (2/16), a veteran South African leg-spinner, took two wickets for CSK while conceding relatively few runs. Jadeja clobbered four consecutive sixes off Harshal Patel in the final over of CSK’s innings before adding another off the fifth pitch. Harshal ended with 4-0-51-3 after smashing the last ball over square leg for four. He had figures of 3 for 14 heading into the final over.
When Jadeja, batting at No. 5, was dropped by Dan Christian off Washington Sundar, he had yet to score. Chris Gayle had previously scored 37 runs for RCB against Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the 2011 edition, with Prasanth Parameswaran as the bowler.
With his vicious last over onslaught, the left-handed Jadeja took full advantage of the reprieve to spoil what was turning out to be an outstanding outing for purple cap holder Harshal Patel. When Harshal was given the ball with CSK on 154/4, Jadeja hit the first four balls for towering sixes, followed by another maximum and a boundary in the final seven balls.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain, is now unbeaten on two wickets. After the RCB bowlers — Patel and Mohd Siraj (0/32) — had held CSK at bay, Jadeja launched his attack. Earlier, CSK were driven by Faf du Plessis’ second consecutive half-century (50 off 41 balls), before Harshal struck twice for RCB in the 14th over, dismissing Suresh Raina (24) and the former South African captain off successive deliveries.
When batting first, Gaikwad and du Plessis never missed a chance to score and buried the poor deliveries. Gaikwad, who started slowly, was able to catch up to the South African veteran with some spectacular shots. With du Plessis and Gaikwad matching each other shot for shot, the CSK openers raced to 51 in six overs. Kyle Jamieson and Mohammad Siraj, the RCB pacers, were unable to make an impact.
Yuzvendra Chahal, who came in for the fourth over, was unable to make an impression right away. Chahal, on the other hand, managed to crack the opening partnership in the tenth over by getting Gaikwad to miscue a big shot, which Jamieson grabbed. After the dismissal of skipper Virat Kohli (8) and Padikkal, who got off to a flying start by racing to 44 in three overs, RCB succumbed.
Padikkal seemed to be in magnificent form as he easily struck boundaries, throwing two over the fence.
Stuff went downhill for Bengaluru after Kohli was dismissed by Sam Curran (1/35) and Padikkal was dismissed by Shardul Thakur (1/11), and the team was reduced to 81 for 5 in the 10th over.
Washington Sundar (7), who had been elevated to the No. 3 slot, was Jadeja’s first victim after failing to make an impression. Glenn Maxwell (22, 15 balls) made a brief challenge before Jadeja castled him. Jadeja foxed De Villiers (4), the team’s dream, by getting one to turn and dismissing the dangerous South African.