Faf du Plessis scored a fifty and had a 75-run partnership with MS Dhoni (49*) to take Chennai Super Kings to an eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Chasing a modest target of 154 set by RCB largely due to Virat Kohli’s 49-ball 73, the Chennai batsmen made minimum fuss as a collective effort saw them cross the line with as many as 14 balls to spare.
Chennai thus finished their league matches with 18 points from 14 games by virtue of nine wins. They will also expect Kolkata Knight Riders does not surpass their run-rate during their evening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Faf du Plessis revelled in the role of an opener scoring an unbeaten 54 and also enjoying couple of fruitful partnerships of 57 for the opening stand with Dwayne Smith (34) and an unbroken 75 runs with skipper MS Dhoni for the third wicket.
Dhoni, who is always in his element in the cash-rich league, smacked his way to 49 off only 28 balls to ensure that the run-rate is suitably beefed up. Dhoni’s innings had four boundaries and three sixes while Du Plessis hit three fours and three sixes.
He was severe on the left-arm spinners as two of his three sixes came in Yuvraj Singh’s one over and the other was hit off Shadab Jakati.
The winning hit came off Du Plessis’ bat as he lofted Jakati for a big six to end it in style. Smith again gave CSK a good start as he smashed his way to 34 off 17 balls with four boundaries and a six.
Left-arm spinner Jakati, who had enjoyed a bit of success for the CSK, had a bad outing giving away 41 runs in his 3.4 overs. Mitchell Starc was also hammered for 33 runs in three overs.
Earlier, Kohli’s stroke-filled half-century helped Bangalore manage a below-par 154 for 6.
Kohli struck 73 off 49 balls with two fours and five sixes as some of the other batsmen failed to get going against a disciplined CSK attack.
Chennai thrash Bangalore
- Advertisement -
