Chennai Super Kings’ secured a hard-earned eight-run victory in the 24th match of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, which was being played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Defending a target of 227 runs in what was a high-scoring encounter against Royal Challengers Bangalore, the four-time champions restricted their opposition to a score of 218/8.
Whilst chasing 227 runs was also going to be a steep climb, it got even steeper when Bangalore lost two crucial wickets – that of Virat Kohli and Mahipal Lomror – inside the first two overs. However, what followed was impeccable batting from the skipper, Faf du Plessis, and the Aussie dynamo, Glenn Maxwell.
IPL 2023: Glenn Maxwell and Faf du Plessis added 126 runs for the third-wicket stand.
(Photo: BCCI)
The pair added 126 runs in only 61 deliveries for the third-wicket stand, before Maxwell was sent packing by Matheesha Pathirana. When Moeen Ali dismissed du Plessis in the very next over, Chennai got a glimmer of hope after what was a long period of affliction.
Dinesh Karthik did well for his 14-ball 28, but could not stay till the end. The youngsters, in the likes of Shahbaz Ahmed and Suyash Prabhudessai, could only play insignificant cameos, as the two points went to Chennai’s tally.
Fifties From Conway and Dube Power Chennai To Humongous Total
Earlier, MS Dhoni’s team batted brilliantly to score 226 runs. While the scoreline portrays a different story altogether, Chennai did not have a flying start with the bat. Instead, it was quite the opposite, with Mohammed Siraj getting the better of an in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad in only the third over of the match.
However, after four quiet overs, Devon Conway and Ajinkya Rahane freed the shackles to set the tone for the Super Kings. The last two overs of the powerplay yielded 28 runs, and despite that being followed by relaxation on fielding restrictions, there was no alteration in either the scoring rate, or the batting approach.
IPL 2023: Devon Conway and Shivam Dube combined to score 135 runs for Chennai Super Kings.
(Photo: BCCI)
Rahane extended his good form with a 20-ball 37, before being out-foxed by an expertly concealed googly by Wanindu Hasaranga in the 10th over. Yet, for the second time in the match, the fall of a wicket did not trigger a dip in the scoring rate, with Shivam Dube using his repertoire of glory hits.
The two left-handed batters, Conway and Dube took the attack to every Bangalore bowler after the tenth over, as the next five overs produced 68 runs. The next phase of the game saw wickets falling in clusters, but it did not hurt Chennai significantly, with the new batters doing exactly what their predecessors did.
Conway departed after an exemplary 83 in the 16th over, with Dube following suit in the next over, albeit he had already brought up his half-century by then. Rayudu played a cameo of 6-ball 14, while Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja combined to score 29 runs in 17 deliveries.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)