IPL 2019: Match 39, RCB vs CSK – Who Said What

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore was a witness to an absolute thriller between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Eventually, RCB, captained by Virat Kohli, got home by one run and remained alive in the T20 tournament. MS Dhoni played a masterful knock of 84 from 48 with five fours and seven sixes, but it wasn’t enough for the Super Kings.

Parthiv top-scores for the Challengers

The Challengers couldn’t blaze away on a decent batting wicket and could score only 161 for seven in 20 overs. Deepak Chahar picked up the big wicket of Virat Kohli to push RCB back on the backfoot. AB de Villiers tried to play aggressive cricket and he perished to Ravindra Jadeja after scoring 25 from 19 balls. At the other end, Parthiv Patel looked solid and accomplished his half-century in 36 deliveries.

He put together a stand of 41 runs with Akshdeep Nath, who also contributed with 24 off 20. Marcus Stoinis came ahead of Moeen Ali and could only get 14 from 13 balls. Ali has been in excellent touch in this IPL and he manifested it with a quickfire knock of 26 runs off 16 balls. For the Super Kings, Chahar, Dwayne Bravo and Jadeja accounted for two wickets each, even as Imran Tahir picked up one.

RCB prevail in the humdinger

In the very last over of the run-chase, Dale Steyn charged in and dismissed the likes of Shane Watson and Suresh Raina with a couple of absolute peaches. Faf du Plessis tried to break the shackles but got out to Umesh Yadav. In his next over, Yadav removed Kedar Jadhav, who promised with a couple of fours. The onus was then on veteran MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu to resurrect the innings.

Rayudu was threatening to take the game away with a 29 and his knock was cut short by Yuzvendra Chahal. The Super Kings needed a daunting 70 runs from the last five overs. In the 17th over, Jadeja was involved with a mix-up with Dhoni and got run out. Umesh Yadav was needed to defend 26 runs and Dhoni also pulled off the chase, but couldn’t. Parthiv Patel ran out Shardul Thakur to end the game.

MS Dhoni, the CSK captain, said

I think it was a good game. We did really well to restrict them to a below-par total, but we needed some good batting at the top. Once you know the opposition attack, you gotta stick to your plans and if you lose too many wickets upfront that puts pressure and the middle order really can’t go after the bowlers from the start. We have to carefully see what are the areas we want to take that risk. It was still difficult at the end. It was slightly spongy (the pitch) and the new batsmen found it difficult. Boundaries were needed and yes we have lost by one run but at the same time, we have to see what if there were few dot balls and whether we could have got those extra boundaries or not.

They have got a lot of experience and I don’t think they were very complacent on the field. The approach was good and the bowlers did a very good job. It’s just that batting, once you go in and that’s the time you need to think as an individual what really is needed for the team as of now whether it’s a partnership needed or few big shots. It’s easy to go and play the big shot and even if I get out others will do the job. The problem arises once you play a big shot and you can’t really get out because that puts a lot of pressure on the other batsmen. That’s something we need to calculate. That’s why I think the top three can be finishers, they may do it a few times, but when you bat at 5, 6 or 7 whatever you are calculating you have to put a lot of thinking behind it because you lose one more wicket and the game is over at that point of time.

Virat Kohli, the RCB captain, said

A whole lot of emotion. We were outstanding with the ball until the 19th over mark. On the last ball, that was the last thing I would’ve expected to happen. Feels good to win a game by a small margin. MS did what he does best and he gave us all a massive scare. In the first six overs, we thought the ball wasn’t coming onto the bat that much. PP and AB started to rebuild. At the halfway mark we thought 175 would’ve been a very good total on this pitch. We thought we were 15 short.

We thought their bowlers didn’t make us play enough on the front foot. Looking in hindsight, you could say Moeen could’ve come higher. Those things sometimes they come your way and sometimes they don’t. They showed a lot of composure playing against a side like CSK. Especially Saini. He’s come along well for the team. We have said a lot of things in the nine games. In T20 cricket, you are going to be put under the pump. It’s how well you bounce back that matters.

Parthiv Patel, the Player of the Match, said

We tried to play a few shots initially. But we realized it wasn’t the usual 200 wicket. I was batting well, was talking to coaches. It was just a matter of choosing my shots after first six overs. Chose my bowlers to target. Last ball I knew there was only one chance. Was prepared from the third ball that this situation might come. Have been saying that we are a very good side, there’s no doubt about it.

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