Under the leadership of new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made a great start to the Indian Premier League 2024 by winning the first match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). In the match played at CSK’s home ground Chepauk, the hosts achieved the target of 174 runs given by RBC in 19 overs.
Kiwi batsman Rachin Ravindra played the highest innings of 37 (15) runs for Chennai. While senior batsman Ajinkya Rahane scored 27 runs on 19 balls. Apart from this, Shivam Dubey played an unbeaten inning of 34 runs and Ravindra Jadeja played an unbeaten inning of 25 runs, leading Chennai to victory.
However, the foundation of victory was laid by Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Mustafizur, playing his first match for Chennai, bowled brilliantly and took four wickets for 29 runs in four overs.
RCB, who came to bat first after winning the toss, were given a fast start by captain Faf du Plessis (35 runs on 23 balls) and Virat Kohli (21 runs on 20 balls). Both added 41 runs for the first wicket in 4.3 overs. Rahman got Du Plessis caught by Ravindra Jadeja in his first and fifth over of the match. On the last ball of the same over, Rajat Patidar was caught behind the wicket by Mahendra Singh Dhoni without opening any account.
In the very next over, Deepak Chahar dismissed Glenn Maxwell for zero. In the 11th and his second over of the match, Rahman once again gave two blows to RCB. Kohli was caught out by Ravindra Jadeja while Cameron Green (18) was bowled.
After which wicketkeeper batsman Anuj Rawat played a brilliant inning of 48 runs on 25 balls and Dinesh Karthik played an unbeaten inning of 38 runs on 26 balls, taking the score of RCB, which was looking in trouble at one time, to 173 runs for six wickets in 20 overs.
Rawat was run out while trying to steal a single on the last ball of the 20th over. The team lost its top five batsmen for 78 runs in 11.4 overs. After this both of them made a partnership of 95 runs in 50 balls. Rawat hit three sixes and four fours. Karthik also hit two sixes and three fours.)