In a nail-biting encounter, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged past Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by just 2 runs in a high-scoring thriller that went right down to the penultimate over at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. It had all the makings of another iconic MS Dhoni finish, but this time it wasn’t meant to be, as the legendary finisher lost his wicket in the final over.
Chasing 214, CSK were powered by a sensational 94 from young Ayush Mhatre and an unbeaten 77 from Ravindra Jadeja. With Dhoni at the crease and 13 needed off the final 3 balls, fans were on the edge of their seats, hoping for a vintage Dhoni finish. However, attempting to hit a full toss from Yash Dayal, Dhoni missed and was trapped LBW. His dismissal not only proved to be a crucial turning point but also left a new batter with no time to assess the pitch—needing to go for boundaries straightaway. Despite the fightback, CSK fell agonisingly short by just 2 runs.
RCB’s bowlers held their nerve in the death overs, and the victory moved them to the top of the points table with 16 points from 8 wins in 11 matches, backed by a healthy net run rate of +0.482. For CSK, though already out of playoff contention, their fighting spirit was on full display and worthy of praise.