RCB beat Super Kings to keep hopes alive

ZAHEER KHAN: Fine spell.

Agencies/Bangalore

Zaheer Khan took 4 wickets in his two overs as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Chennai Super Kings by 24 runs at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday to keep their IPL 6 playoffs hopes alive.

Chasing a 107-run victory target, Chennai managed 82/6 in the rain-curtailed eight-over a side match. Murali Vijay top scored for Chennai with a 19-ball 32 that was studded with 2 sixes and 2 fours, while captain MS Dhoni too slammed 2 sixes and 2 fours in his 10-ball 24, but that was not enough for Chennai.

Bangalore now will have to wait for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday and if Hyderabad lose it then Bangalore will go through the playoffs. Zaheer dismissed Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina off consecutive deliveries as Chennai Super Kings’ run chase got off to a bad start. Earlier, some belligerent hitting by skipper Virat Kohli (56*), Chris Gayle (28) and Moises Henriques (12*) helped Royal Challengers Bangalore post 107-run target for Chennai Super Kings in the rain-curtailed 8-over a side match.

The in-form RCB opening duo started the hosts’ innings aggressively as they punished Chennai bowler with total disdain in their fiery 67-run opening stand. Dyane Bravo dismissed fellow countryman Gayle in the sixth over to break the dangerous RCB opening partnership. Kohli played another gem of an innings as the hosts’ captain hit 4 sixes and 6 boundaries in his aggressive 29-ball knock.

Gayle hit as many as 4 sixes in his 13-ball whirlwind knock but his wicket failed to halt RCB run charge as Moises Henriques joined the party to score 12 off just 3 balls. Henriques smacked three consecutive fours in his quick-fire innings. The opening duo scored 33 runs off the first three overs and raced to fifty in 4.4 overs. Earlier, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni won the toss and decided to field against Bangalore in the rain-curtailed match at M Chinnaswamy stadium on Saturday. Three bowlers can bowl a maximum of two overs each in the match and the Powerplay will be of two overs only. The match was delayed for more than three hours due to rain as it starts at 2300 IST.

Their campaign sent haywire by a couple of unexpected losses, Bangalore are now faced with a must-win situation. The three top teams (Chennai, Mumbai, Rajasthan) have crossed the 20-point mark which leaves two teams -- Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad -- chasing the fourth spot in the points table. Bangalore must beat Chennai to move to 18 points but that will not assure them a place in the final four. For them to qualify, Hyderabad have to lose their final game against Kolkata Knight Riders today.