IPL History: 3 Memorable wins for CSK against RCB

The Indian Premier League is back. The 12th edition of the mega event will start with a match between two supergiants CSK and RCB in Chennai on the 23rd of March 2019. The finals will be played in Chennai on 12th May 2019.

The rivalry between CSK and RCB in the IPL has been legendary. Though RCB have been at the receiving end off late, they have challenged the might of CSK on many an occasion in the past. The matches that RCB lost in the recent past were all by close margins.

In IPL's history, CSK and RCB have so far met on 23 occasions. The Chennai franchise has an overwhelming record, having won 15 matches against RCB’s 7 wins with one match ending in a no result. Dhoni's men have also won the last 6 matches on the trot against RCB.

The last time RCB won a match against Chennai was in 2014 at Ranchi. In the 7 matches that have been played in Chennai, RCB has won only one, which came in the innaugral edition in 2008.

On the eve of the opening match between CSK and RCB, let us revisit CSK’s 3 memorable wins against RCB.

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#3 Match No. 16 of IPL 2013 at Chennai

Jadeja got an opportunity to prove in CSK as a batsman against RCB

In this match, Dhoni won the toss and decided to chase. CSK started on a positive note taking out the danger man Chris Gayle in the second over of the innings. However, with the fifties from Virat Kohli (58) and AB de Villiers (64), RCB reached a challenging score of 165.

In reply, Chennai lost both its openers Mike Hussey and Murali Vijay before the score reached double figures. But Suresh Raina (30) and Badrinath (34) were involved in a half-century partnership before Dhoni forced the pace with 33 off 23 balls.

When Chennai’s fourth wicket fell, the equation was 88 needed off 46 balls at almost 2 runs per ball. Jadeja joined Dhoni to add 59 runs for the fifth wicket in 35 balls. It was one of those rare occasions when Jadeja got an opportunity in CSK colours to display his batting skills.

Both Dhoni and Jadeja were severe on R.P. Singh and Ravi Rampaul. However, when Dhoni got out in the 19th over, CSK still needed 29 runs in 11 balls. Dwayne Bravo came in and immediately pulled his countryman Rampaul over mid-wicket for a six. But Rampaul had the last laugh when he trapped Bravo in front of the wicket.

R.P. Singh came on to bowl the last over with CSK needing an improbable 16 for a win. Off the first ball, Jadeja tried to hoick Singh over long-on and got a thick outside edge which ran down to the third man boundary. RP Singh overcompensated with the length of the second ball which traveled the distance over long-on.

Now 6 needed off 4 balls. It came down to 2 needed off the last ball. RP Singh bowled a short one which Jadeja played into the hands of the third man. RCB started celebrating and CSK were shellshocked. But RCB’s celebration was short lived as the umpire signaled a no-ball.

After plenty of drama, CSK won the match by 4 wickets with one ball to spare with the last ball being a no-ball.

#2 Match No. 24 of IPL 2018 at Bengaluru

Rayadu and Dhoni in terrific form for CSK in the last season of IPL

In last year’s IPL, RCB were asked to bat first and put up a massive 205 on the board. In reply, CSK were reduced to 74 for 4 in 9 overs, needing another 132 for a win in 13 overs.

The in-form Dhoni joined another in-form batsman in Ambati Rayadu who was batting on 42. Dhoni signaled his arrival to the crease with a six each off Pawan Negi and Corey Anderson. At the other end, Rayadu survived RCB’s LBW review off the bowling of Corey Anderson. The equation at the end of the 13th over was beyond reach as CSK’s required run rate was 14.

Both Dhoni and Rayadu took Negi to the cleaners as the 14th over produced 19 runs. Rayadu had a life on 61 when Umesh Yadav dropped him. The Indian bastman celebrated his escape with two more sixes in that over. Dhoni and Rayadu added 101 runs for the fifth wicket before Rayadu was unfortunately run-out in the 18th over of the innings.

The equation came down to 30 runs needed from the last 2 overs. Dhoni hit Mohammad Siraj for an unbelievable six over point to reduce the margin to 16 needed off the last over.

Now it was left to the other finisher in the team, Dwayne Bravo. As always, at a crucial juncture, Bravo hit a four and six off the first two balls of the last over bowled by Corey Anderson. Then Dhoni finished off the match in style with a six over long-on. CSK won the match by 5 wickets with 2 balls to spare. Dhoni remained not out on 70 off 34 balls.

#1 Match No. 13 of IPL 2012 at Chennai

Albie Morkel - The tormentor of RCB

Once again batting first, RCB set a stiff target of 206 to win for CSK in the 13th match of IPL 2012 at Chennai. For CSK, Faf du Plessis was in excellent form scoring 71 off 46 balls. He was ably supported by Suresh Raina (32) and MS Dhoni (41).

But when Dhoni got out in the 18th over with CSK still needing 43 runs in 2 overs, it was all over for CSK. That was what everyone thought. It was almost mathematically impossible to score that many runs in the remaining few balls.

No team in IPL history has ever scored 43 runs in the last 2 overs to win a match. Any other team would have thrown in the towel but not CSK.

With plenty of runs in the bank, the RCB Captain Daniel Vettori thought it was now time to exhibit Virat Kohli’s prowess as a bowler. He unwisely asked Kohli to bowl the 19th over when the regular bowlers hadn't finished their quota yet. Perhaps Vettori might have thought the game was beyond CSK’s reach.

Fortunately for CSK, both the big-hitters Albie Morkel and Dwayne Bravo were at the crease with Ravindra Jadeja to follow. CSK had nothing to lose at that stage. Morkel was lucky to get a four off an inside edge of the first ball of the over.

However, the next 4 shots were all clean hits as Morkel clobbered Kohli for 2 fours and 3 sixes in that over. After the first two balls disappeared, Kohli being a part-time bowler, was virtually clueless and Vettori was simply scratching his head. That Kohli’s over went for 28 runs.

Morkel got out to Vinay Kumar in the next over for 28 runs off 7 balls at an unbelievable strike rate of 400. But the crisis man Bravo sent the next two balls to and over the boundary. CSK needed 2 runs off the last ball which they got through the bat of Ravindra Jadeja.

CSK registered one of the incredible wins of the IPL by scoring 45 runs in the last 2 overs.