PTI
Pune, May 4
Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell led a clinical bowling performance to help Royal Challengers Bangalore register a 13-run win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL here today. The result not only increased RCB’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs, but also pushed defending champions CSK to the brink of elimination. RCB moved to fourth position on the points table, while CSK remained at the penultimate spot.
The quartet of Mahipal Lomror, who smashed a 27-ball 42, skipper Faf du Plessis (38 off 22), Virat Kohli (30 off 33) and Dinesh Karthik (27 not out off 17) did well to lift RCB to 173/8. RCB bowlers then restricted the defending champions to 160/8, despite a fifty by opener Devon Conway (56). While Maxwell ended with excellent figures of 2/22 from his four overs, Harshal was right on the money, snapping three wickets while giving away 35 runs. Shabaz Ahmed (1/27), Wanindu Hasaranga (1/31) and Josh Hazlewood (1/19) also picked a wicket each.
Earlier, the CSK spinners made full use of Dhoni’s decision to bowl first as a fit-again Moeen Ali (2/28) and Maheesh Theekshana (3/27) shared five wickets. Ali rattled the RCB top-order, getting rid of the opening pair of Kohli and du Plessis, while Theekshana snapped three wickets in the penultimate over.
Brief scores: RCB: 173/8 (Lomror 42; Theekshana 3/27, Mooen 2/28); CSK: 160/8 (Conway 56; Harshal 3/35, Maxwell 2/22).
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