IPL 2019: CSK vs RCB - Recounting the best encounters between the two teams

Rivalries in sports have always added spice to the contest. It is the same with Cricket in India. With a high political history behind, the matches between Tamil Nadu & Karnataka have been fiercely contested in the domestic arena.

It continued in the Indian Premier League as they developed a healthy on-field rivalry. Terming it as "Cauvery Derby" or "South Indian Derby", Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore have been involved in some of the best encounters the league has ever seen.

From last ball finishes to the banter in social media, the things have always been happening between these two franchises. Although CSK boasts a healthy 14-7 head to head record, matches have always been equally battled ones. From many such encounters, let us look at the top 5 encounters in the “CSK-RCB” rivalry.

#5 CSK Vs RCB - 2014 IPL Match 42

AB batted with ease on a difficult pitch

Table toppers Chennai faced a struggling Bangalore in a league match of the 2014 season. On what seemed a very slow track in Ranchi, Dhoni opted to bat first. Batsmen couldn't get going due to the slowness of the wicket as runs were hard to come by. Suresh Raina anchored the innings with a 48-ball 62 as Chennai scored 138 in 20 overs.

CSK's spinners were difficult to get away with, as the likes of Kohli and Gayle scored at a strike-rate less than 100. Jadeja dismissed Kohli for 27 which brought AB de Villiers to the crease. ABD smashed three sixes and a four within an interval of five balls, to change the complexion of the game.

With 10 required off the last over, Dhoni asked David Hussey to bowl. Yuvraj Singh smashed a six off the first ball to ensure two important points for his team. AB for his match-turning sixes was awarded the man of the match.

#4 CSK Vs RCB - 2011 IPL, Qualifier 1

CSK celebrated after an emphatic win

After finishing at No.1 & No.2, Chennai faced Bangalore in the first qualifier to decide the first finalist of the 2011 edition. RCB had a slight edge as Gayle storm had taken over the season. But Ravichandran Ashwin got him early for just eight. Virat Kohli controlled the innings and took RCB to a challenging total of 175.

Chennai got off to a horrible start losing their openers with just seven runs on board. Suresh Raina and Subramaniam Badrinath steadied the innings with a 50 run partnership. With 58 required off 24 balls, Raina and Albie Morkel went berserk against the bowlers.

A couple of 20 run overs brought the equation to 12 off 6 balls. Daniel Vettori hit the blockhole but Morkel was too good as he smashed boundaries over mid-wicket to seal a thrilling win for the Super Kings. Raina was awarded the MoM for his blistering 73 off 50 balls.

#3 CSK Vs RCB - 2018 IPL, Match 24

Dhoni kept his calm and calculated the chase with precision

With political tensions at an all-time high, Bangalore locked horns with Chennai in the 2018 edition of IPL. Chennai asked the home team to bat first as they got off to a rollicking start, scoring 52 runs in the powerplay.

The South African duo of Quinton de Kock & AB de Villiers smashed the bowlers scoring 103 off 53 balls in the middle overs. Mandeep Singh took the total to 205 with some lusty blows at the end.

In the run chase, Ambati Rayudu capitalized on the field restrictions and scored boundaries at one end. CSK kept losing wickets at the other end and were reduced to 74-4 in nine overs. With Dhoni and Rayudu at the crease, Kohli realized the importance of breaking this partnership and kept bowling his strike bowlers in Umesh and Chahal at him.

Dhoni and Rayudu negated them by scoring only singles. With 99 required off 42 balls, the duo was at their imperious best. They scored as many as 10 sixes in the last seven overs. Dhoni finished off the match with a huge six over long-on and walked out with swagger to the delight of CSK army.

#2 CSK Vs RCB - 2012 IPL, Match 13

Morkel scored 28 runs in a single over

After losing the 2011 finals, Bangalore faced Chennai to avenge their loss in Chennai. Mayank Agarwal gave a brilliant start as he scored 45 off the 51 runs the team had scored in five overs. Gayle and Kohli joined forces to smash the bowlers as they put on a 110-run partnership in 11 overs.

RCB ended the innings with a score of 205. Faf du Plessis batted beautifully on a hot day for Chennai as he was firm at one end. With required run-rate over 13 for the last nine overs, Dhoni's 24-ball 41 kept the team in the chase. But RCB was ahead with CSK requiring 43 runs off the last two overs.

Morkel exploded in the penultimate over as he smashed 28 runs off a Virat Kohli over. His three sixes and twin fours meant that CSK needed 15 off the last over. Dwayne Bravo scored a six and four to brighten CSK's hopes. With 2 required off the last ball, Ravindra Jadeja edged the very first ball he faced to a boundary to win the match out of nowhere.

#1 CSK Vs RCB - 2013 IPL, Match 16

Jadeja and Gayle were s celebrating as both thought they have won

If 2012 was a close encounter, the 2013 edition saw yet another humdinger of a contest. Bangalore batted first in the encounter with runs coming from usual suspects in Kohli and de Villiers. Their partnership helped RCB post a competitive total of 165.

Chennai lost the openers with just 10 runs on the board off four overs. Raina, Badrinath & Dhoni got off to starts but failed to capitalize. Jadeja batted brilliantly to keep CSK's hopes alive. With 16 needed off the last over, Jadeja hit a four and six in the first two balls of the over.

Four runs were conceded in the next three balls to bring the equation to two off the last ball. Jadeja slashed the outside off-stump bouncer straight into the hands of Ravi Rampaul at third man. Just when RCB started to celebrate they found that the bowler has overstepped the bowling crease as the umpire signaled a no-ball.

It was a thrilling and a peculiar end to a match as both teams were celebrating at a point of time as no-ball was the last thing expected.