IPL 2020, RCB vs RR: 3 closest encounters

High-flying Delhi Capitals (DC) will square off against struggling Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match #34 of Dream 11 IPL. Both teams have played eight games in the season so far. While CSK has managed just three wins so far, Shreyas Iyer's men have doubled that tally with six victories and have consistently occupied the top half of the IPL points table.

.@ashwinravi99 in the Powerplay this #Dream11IPL 👇Wickets - 5⃣Economy - 6⃣.1⃣Average - 8⃣.6⃣Who's ready to see him play in 🔵 against CSK? 💙😋#DCvCSK #YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/1Gqj7mCRUL
— Delhi Capitals (Tweeting from 🇦🇪) (@DelhiCapitals) October 16, 2020

Expand Tweet

Their historical head-to-head stat has been lopsided. CSK has beaten DC on 15 occasions while DC has managed just seven victories against the Yellow brigade.

Smiles > Miles. Whom did you video call the most during this pandemic? 🦁💛#WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/tHMf3vc6e5
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) October 16, 2020

Expand Tweet

With the race for the playoffs heating up, the two teams will be keen on adding two crucial points to their tally. Before the match between South and North gets underway, here is a look at the closest encounters between the teams in the past:

3) Match #26, IPL 2014: CSK def. DC by eight wickets (two balls remaining)

Final Scores:

DC: 178/5 (20 overs)
CSK: 181/2 (19.4 overs)

Five DC batters scored 20+ runs but none of them could convert their starts except Dinesh Karthik (51 from 36). JP Duminy (28* from 17) and Kedhar Jadhav (29* from 18) provided a flourish towards the end to lift DC to a challenging 178/5 in their 20 overs.

CSK's Dwayne Smith (79 from 51) and Brendon McCullum (32 from 35) provided an 82-run opening start to put them firmly in control. Once they departed, Suresh Raina (47* from 27) and MS Dhoni (12* from 5) accelerated when it mattered to guide their team home. In typical Dhoni fashion, the chase was taken deep with 11 required from the final over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat.

Dhoni made it seem easy by cracking a six from the second ball and a boundary of the fourth to effortlessly drive CSK to victory.

2) Match #2, IPL 2015: CSK def. DC by one run

Final Scores:

CSK: 150/7 (20 overs)
DC: 149/9 (20 overs)

IPL is a tournament predominantly favouring the batters. In this game, however, the bowlers stole the show.

In the first game of the season for both teams, DC's Nathan Coulter-Nile ran through the CSK batsmen, returning figures of 30/3 in his four overs. He dismissed CSK's top three, Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, and Suresh Raina.

CSK continued to lose regular wickets as they managed just 150/7 in their quota of 20 overs.

However, the only batsmen to really trouble the scorers for Delhi was CSK alumni Albie Morkel (73* from 55). The South African watched from one end as DC lost nine wickets, ultimately succumbing to a one-run defeat. Seven of the DC batters scored in single figures as Ashish Nehra (25/3) and Dwayne Bravo (36/2) constantly pegged them back.

An improbable 19 was needed from the final over bowled by Bravo but some lusty blows from Albie Morkel reduced the equation to a six needed from the final delivery. An exhausted Albie Morkel launched the ball into the air but it pitched just a few feet inside the boundary rope and went for four, thus handing DC a heartbreaking one-run loss.

1) Match #28, IPL 2008: CSK def. DC by four wickets (0 balls remaining)

Final Scores:

DC: 187/5 (20 overs)
CSK: 188/6 (20 overs)

The inaugural edition of the IPL saw a cracker of a contest between the two teams. Gautam Gambhir (80 from 49) and Shikhar Dhawan (59 from 46) played valuable knocks to catapult DC to a daunting 187/5.

CSK's top order once again provided them with a flying start to make the chase easier. Stephen Fleming (44 from 28) and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (40 from 23) ensured CSK reach 98/2 at the halfway stage.

DC was still in control towards the end with CSK having two new batsmen at the crease and needing 15 from the last over bowled by Shoaib Malik. Gony plundered Shoaib Malik for 11 runs in the first two balls in the final over that read:

6, Wide, 4, 1, 2, 0, 1.

CSK pulled off the victory with a single taken off the final ball.

In Dream 11 IPL, however, DC seems to have the advantage. CSK will be wary of the young Delhi franchise who will be hoping to better their dismal head-to-head stat.

This season, and on current form, that outcome seems quite probable.

Also see:- IPL winner list all