Bengaluru, April 5 Tim David, captain Rajat Patidar, and Devdutt Padikkal unleashed powerful batting performances, propelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a commanding 250 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match here on Sunday.
Padikkal (50 off 29 balls) and David (70 off 25 balls) completely dominated the Super Kings bowlers with their impressive range-hitting. Captain Rajat Patidar also contributed significantly, smashing an unbeaten 48 off 19 balls.
The onslaught began with Devdutt, who was involved in two crucial partnerships – a 56 (37 balls) with Phil Salt (46) for the second wicket and a 58 (21 balls) for the third wicket with captain Patidar.
These partnerships were crucial for RCB on the Chinnaswamy track, which had a slightly slower pace after CSK asked them to bat first.
Salt was the more dominant partner during the second wicket partnership, which helped them overcome the early dismissal of Virat Kohli (28), who was dropped on seven by Shivam Dube off Khaleel Ahmed.
Salt's aggressive hitting, including sixes off Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj, helped the home team finish the Power Play with a score of 51 for 1.
Salt was dismissed after the six-over segment, caught by Ahmad in the deep off Dube. This dismissal changed the momentum of RCB's innings.
Devdutt, who was on 18 off 17 balls till that point, accelerated, smashing two sixes and a four off Dube, as RCB's run rate surpassed the 10 runs per over mark for the first time in the innings.
The left-handed batsman achieved his second successive fifty in this IPL with a single off Matt Henry. However, he could not stay longer, as an attempt to reverse scoop Jamie Overton resulted in him being dismissed.
By then, RCB had already scored 62 runs in the overs between 11 and 15, and after Devdutt returned to the crease, Patidar, along with Tim David, built on the foundation.
Bengaluru was at 153 for 3 after 15 overs, and they added another 97 runs in the last five overs, also exploiting some poor lines by CSK bowlers at the death.
Patidar and David were particularly effective in their fourth wicket partnership, as the ball flew to all corners of Chinnaswamy, and they added 99 runs (36 balls) for the unbroken fourth wicket.
Patidar was particularly severe on Khaleel, who kept pitching the ball in his area, carting him for two sixes and a four in his fourth and final over.
David also smashed three sixes off Ahmad in the 17th over, further intensifying the attack.
The Australian batsman dominated Overton in the 19th over, hitting six consecutive sixes, as CSK's bowling frailties were once again exposed against a strong batting lineup.