IPL 2019 Highlights, CSK vs RCB at Chennai, Full cricket score: CSK win by 7 wickets, collect first points of season

Harbhajan Singh gets the Man of the Match award for his glittering display with the ball (3/20 from four overs)

HS: I’ve learnt quite a lot while sitting next to you (to cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar). It’s nice to be out there at the park, and doing what I’ve been doing. I’d like to give a lot of credit to my wife and daughter for all their love. This trophy is for them. You can’t ask for a better start. Since they (RCB) have a lot of left-handers, Fleming told me Ill be playing. This pitch was quite helpful for spinners. Nice of Chennai Super Kings to play me in the first match, and nice to get the Man of the Match award. Imran bowled really well in the later part after I got three wickets. Nice to get the wickets of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

Most wins against an opposition in IPL:

18 – MI v KKR
15 – CSK v RCB*
15 – KKR v KXIP
14 – MI v RCB

CSK win by seven wickets!

That’s a solid start from defending champions in their home. RCB have too many concerns to look into. They have not won a match in Chennai since 2008 and the streak continues. They did not judge the wicket well and went for their shots, lost wickets and ended up with a poor target. It was too much in the end for bowlers to defend.

After 17 overs,Chennai Super Kings 68/3 ( Kedar Jadhav 12 , Ravindra Jadeja 5)

Can you believe this? Needing 3 off 24, Jadeja has played a maiden over. Superb stuff from Siraj. This will give RCB a huge boost going into future matches in the tournament

After 16 overs, Chennai Super Kings 68/3 ( Kedar Jadhav 12 , Ravindra Jadeja 5)

Umesh bowls a tight over but it is no use really now. CSK need 3 in 24 balls. Mere formality left. And now, both teams have gone into a Time-Out.

After 15 overs,Chennai Super Kings 63/3 ( Kedar Jadhav 10 , Ravindra Jadeja 3)

Siraj comes in and Siraj delivers, getting rid off the best CSK batsman on display. Rayudu is gone but he has taken CSK near to the victory on this tough pitch. Interestingly, Jadeja walks in to bat ahead of Dhoni. They want him to get some batting practice.

Least runs conceded in a 4-overs spell in an IPL match:

6 – Fidel Edwards, DC v KKR, Cape Town, 2009
6 – Ashish Nehra, DD v KXIP, Bloemfontein, 2009
6 – Yuzvendra Chahal, RCB v CSK, Chennai, 2019*

OUT! WHAT WAS THAT?

Pre-meditated shot attempted by Rayudu, who comes down the track to heave it on leg side but short length delivery from Siraj makes him checks his shot and he ends up chopping it on to the stumps. Rayudu b Siraj 28(42)

After 14 overs,Chennai Super Kings 58/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 28 , Kedar Jadhav 8)

Superb stuff from Jadhav. Yes, this is T20 cricket. But he realises the nature of the pitch. Saini bowls one outside the off stump and he leaves it alone. Takes a single and gives strike to Rayudu on the next ball. A word of compliment for Saini as well who bowled with a lot of heart and looked near to his maiden wicket on many occasions. Finishes with figures of 0/24. Chennai need 13 runs in 36 balls.

After 13 overs,Chennai Super Kings 52/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 24 , Kedar Jadhav 7)

‘We want Dhoni’ chants at Chepauk. Not sure if the crowd will be able to see a sight of him today with the bat in hand. Rayudu and Jadhav intelligent to play out Chahal. He ends with figures of 1 for 6 in his four overs. Brilliant stuff.

Food for thought, perhaps?

If I was part of RCB management, I would have allowed Kohli take it easy this season and play without the burden of captaincy. Not because he is tactically inferior, but because has played a gruelling season and is already occupied with thoughts of WC.

— cricBC (@cricBC) March 23, 2019

After 12 overs,Chennai Super Kings 51/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 24 , Kedar Jadhav 6)

Saini has been impressive in his stint so far but Rayudu has scored a boundary or six in all of his three overs to ruin his efforts. RCB may lose the match but Kohli should be happy to see that the youngster is showing good character and might get better as the tournament goes on. Chennai need 20 runs in 48 balls.

Chennai need 20 runs in 47 balls

Chennai need 20 runs in 47 balls

After 11 overs,Chennai Super Kings 47/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 20 , Kedar Jadhav 6)

Jadhav ends the over with a brilliant shot. The sound off the bat as it hit the ball also spoke volumes about the kind of form Jadhav is in. Just 24 to get from here for CSK.

AN IPL LEGEND!

5000 runs for @ImRaina. He has been an #IPL legend.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 23, 2019

After 10 overs,Chennai Super Kings 42/2 ( Ambati Rayudu 19 , Kedar Jadhav 2)

Moeen Ali gets hit for a boundary and then comes back strongly to remove Raina. Raina has yet again thrown away a good start, got carried away. Thought everything he will try and hit today will reach the boundary. New man Jadhav was jogging for a single on the penultimate ball but never saw then partner Rayudu did not move an inch from non-strikers’ end. Chahal messed up a good run-out chance.

Players to score 5,000+ runs for a team in T20 cricket:

Virat Kohli for RCB
Suresh Raina for CSK*

Suresh Raina becomes the first batsman to score 5,000 runs in the history of IPL.

First to score in IPL,

1,000 runs: Adam Gilchrist
2,000 runs: Suresh Raina
3,000 runs: Suresh Raina
4,000 runs: Virat Kohli
5,000 runs: Suresh Raina*

After 9 overs,Chennai Super Kings 36/1 ( Ambati Rayudu 19 , Suresh Raina 15)

An IPL great Suresh Raina, reaches 5000 runs in the tournament in the ninth over of the innings. Just 3 off the over. CSK won’t be too concerned. They need 35 runs in 66 balls.