Chennai Super Kings (CSK) registered a thrilling eight-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 17 (Monday). In a high-scoring encounter, CSK bowlers held their nerves in a hostile setting. On a batting paradise of a pitch, as many as 33 sixes were hit. Skipper Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell shared a record-breaking 126-run partnership for the third wicket but it was not enough to take RCB home.
Chasing a daunting target of 227 runs, RCB could only score 218 runs. The Red Army was in command of the run chase when du Plessis (62 runs off 33 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (76 runs off 36 balls) were batting in the middle. But once the duo was dismissed, RCB stumbled and fell short of the target.
After the game, CSK skipper MS Dhoni revealed how he kept his composure and rotated his bowlers when du Plessis and Maxwell were going bonkers.
"Whenever you score 220, the batsmen have to keep on hitting. It's a matter of (a) few overs in the middle. If Faf and Maxi had continued, they'd have won by the 18th over, so you need to get engrossed with the process, know what is the bowling change, what can I do from which end, what is really happening, if something has really changed," Dhoni said after the game.
"I can see it better from close by, so I can know if there is deflection off the wicket for the spinners or quicks. I am always involved in what needs to be done. If I can provide bowlers a good field and give nice suggestions, that's a win for me," he added.
For CSK, opening batter Devon Conway played a scintillating knock of 83 runs off 45 balls and stitched crucial partnerships with Ajinkya Rahane (37 runs off 20 balls) and Shivam Dube (52 runs off 27 balls). Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja combined to hit three sixes late in the innings which propelled the team's score to 226/6.
Dhoni also lavished praise on Dube, who continues to make a winning impact for the Men in Yellow.
"Dube is a clean hitter, yes, he has an issue with the fast bowlers but is a tall guy with a different (longer) reach when compared to other batters. So the spinners have to adjust their lengths, and we had plans for him. But he was injured when he came for the camp. He needs to believe that he can score runs in the middle overs more than us because he has the talent and once you cross the ropes you're alone," Dhoni said.
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