IPL 2019: Two most heartbreaking losses for RCB at CSK's home

The Indian Premier League is undoubtedly the most popular league in the world. With the T20 extravaganza set to begin on 23rd March, the entire cricketing would be gearing up to shift their gaze towards the magnificent carnival.

The IPL has had no shortage of memorable nights, from Brendon McCullum’s belligerent 158 which set the IPL on fire to Virat’s four hundreds in a single season or for that matter the innumerable last over finishes by MS Dhoni, the IPL has certainly thrown up severable memorable and iconic moments that will be etched in the minds of ardent cricket fans forever.

The nature of T20 cricket is such that no game is over till it is actually over. The sole reason why T20 cricket attracts a lot of interest from fans is because this format is capable of producing nail-biting matches and tense finishes.

Talking about nail-biting matches, Royal Challengers Bangalore failed twice against Chennai Super Kings from winning positions. This article encapsulates two such instances where RCB failed to capitalize and close out games against CSK in Chennai.

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1) Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Chennai, 2012)

The CSK vs RCB game from 2012 is one of the most memorable in IPL history

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Royal Challengers Bangalore had posted a massive score of 205/8. Chris Gayle (68) and Virat Kohli (57) stitched together a partnership of 153 runs and the CSK players were completely sapped in hot and humid conditions.

In reply, CSK were off to a steady start. At the halfway mark they lost Vijay and Raina and the score was 88/2. Faf Du Plessis perfectly played the role of a sheet anchor and contributed a stroke-filled 71 off 46 deliveries.

Dhoni on the other started attacking from the word go. His aggressive 41 off just 24 balls was not enough to overshadow Muralitharan’s amazing spell of 3/21 in four overs. Once Dhoni departed in the last ball of the 18th over, the equation was still 43 required off 12 deliveries.

Even the most enthusiastic CSK supporters were doubting their chances.

Skipper Daniel Vettori chose Virat Kholi to bowl the penultimate over ahead of the uncapped Indian all-rounder Raju Bhatkal.

What transpired in that over was just a brutal assault from Albie Morkel. Morkel smashed 28 runs off that over, which included three sixes and two fours. CSK clawed their way back into the match needing 15 to win off the last 6 deliveries.

Though Vinay Kumar took Morkel’s wicket, it wasn’t enough to stop CSK from winning as Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo stood till the end and sealed a memorable win for Chennai.

2) Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Chennai, 2013)

Ravindra Jadeja and Chris Morris stayed till the end sealed a memorable win for CSK.

Just one season later, it was a dreadful night for RCB fans once again as RP Singh squandered the advantage by bowling a big front foot no ball in the crucial last ball of the match.

Bangalore again batted first and scored 165/6 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was backed by half-centuries from Virat Kohli (58) and AB De Villers (64).

In pursuit, CSK had a disastrous start. Both the openers fell when the score was just 10. Raina and Badrinath started doing the repair act and brought the innings back on track. However, both of them couldn’t convert their starts and fell in their 30’s.

Dhoni and Jadeja took time to get going, and as a result, the required run-rate crept up to almost 14 after the 17th over. With twin strikes of Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo in the 18th over, the game was virtually sealed by RCB.

With 16 needed off the last over, skipper Virat tossed the ball to RP Singh. Jadeja hit the first two deliveries for 10 runs and brought back CSK into the game. RP Singh came back well and the equation boiled down to two needed off the last ball.

RP Singh bowled it way outside off stump and Jadeja slashes it straight into the hands of the third man. Once the catch was taken their celebrations were cut short as the umpire immediately signalled a no ball and Jadeja was clever enough to steal a single.

CSK had once again clinched a nail-biter from the jaws of defeat.

This season, RCB start their campaign at Chennai, and they definitely need to put the past behind them and look to make a fresh start.