IPL 2019 | Meme Match Report : MS Dhoni's efforts in vain as RCB snatch last-ball thriller

IPL 2019 | Meme Match Report : MS Dhoni's efforts in vain as RCB snatch last-ball thriller

no photo

|

IPL Twitter

Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 161 runs thanks to Parthiv Patel (53) and cameos from AB De Villiers (25), Akshdeep Nath (24) and Moeen Ali (26). Chennai Super Kings started off badly but was pulled back into the game by MS Dhoni (84). All his efforts were wasted as CSK lost the match by 1 run.

After missing the previous match due to a stiff back, MS Dhoni finally came back to the Chennai Super Kings side, which certainly bolstered their confidence after losing the previous game in his absence. Chennai won the toss and chose to bowl first on the batting-friendly surface of Chinnaswamy.

 © SportsCafe

The CSK bowlers bowled well and gave away only 7 runs in the first two overs. The pressure was mounting on Bangalore batsmen and someone needed to break the shackles. Virat Kohli, as the captain of the team, decided to take on Deepak Chahar and perished to yet another ball outside the off stump. Deepak Chahar mimicked Imran Tahir’s iconic celebration of running to the Chennai crowd and celebrating with them. AB De Villiers was the next batsman to walk in at three.

 © SportsCafe

Fortunately for Bangalore, Parthiv Patel and AB De Villiers quickly stitched a steady partnership and the runs started flowing in the rest of the powerplay overs, scoring 38 in the last 3 overs. While batting on 14, de Villiers was dropped by Faf, who almost pulled off an implausible catch, and was given a rare reprieve. Just when things were settling down for Bangalore, MS Dhoni quickly brought Ravindera Jadeja into the  attack and the latter  immediately got the better of AB De Villiers. Coincidentally, it was Faf Du Plessis who took the catch at long off.

 © SportsCafe

After losing de Villiers, Akshdeep Nath joint Parthiv Patel in the middle, the duo held on for a while but the strike-rate was sluggish. In an attempt to accelerate, Akshdeep Nath tried to go after Ravindra Jadeja and got out after Faf Du Plessis took the catch on the boundary yet again. But it was Parthiv Patel who stuck in there and ensured Bangalore had at least one set batsman in the middle. Patel completed his 13th IPL half-century and a much-needed one for RCB, but was dismissed on the very next ball of Imran Tahir. 

 © SportsCafe

The onus was on Marcus Stoinis and Moeen Ali to take RCB to a decent total. Stoinis went after Imran Tahir and thought he had got the six runs for his side but Du Plessis had other ideas. On the boundary line, he maintained his balance and executed a well-calculated relay catch. Even though the batsmen at the other end kept going back, Moeen Ali made sure he stayed in the middle and took them to a decent target. Royal Challengers Bangalore ended up with a total of 161.

 © SportsCafe

The Chennai Super Kings openers came out to chase down the target but Dale Steyn’s fiery first over saw Shane Watson and Suresh Raina heading back to the dressing room very early. And suddenly the match looked like it was Royal Challengers Bangalore’s to lose. In came Ambati Rayudu to stabilize the innings. 

 © SportsCafe

With CSK’s dangerous batsmen back in the dressing room, Faf Du Plessis needed to hang in there and form a partnership with Ambati Rayudu and take CSK home. He was also given a life during Umesh Yadav’s over, where even though the ball hit the stumps the bails were unmoved. But thankfully for Umesh Yadav, he got Faf’s wicket in the end of the over. 

 © SportsCafe

Parthiv Patel wasted a valuable review as he asked Virat Kohli to go upstairs after the ball had brushed Kedar Jadhav’s pad and Patel caught it. Kedar Jadhav ultimately got to Umesh Yadav while trying to break the shackles for CSK. After Jadhav’s fall, MS Dhoni took guard, which was also CSK’s final hope! Along with Dhoni,  Ambati Rayudu kept on rotating the strike and fuel CSK’s hopes to win the match. But ultimately Ambati Rayudu got out to a brilliant delivery from Yuzvendra Chahal and left CSK in hot water. It was upto Ravindra Jadeja to support MS Dhoni in the middle and take CSK home. Unfortunately, a horrible mix-up led to Jadeja’s demise and left MS Dhoni fuming. 

 © SportsCafe

With Wickets tumbling at one end it was all on MS Dhoni to finish off the game, just like his heyday. With 38 runs needed off the last 2 overs, Dhoni backed his ability and did not run singles. He squeezed 10 runs off the penultimate over, CSK were left with a mountain to climb in the final over. Umesh Yadav had 26 runs to defend and one couldn’t have written CSK off as long as Dhoni was at the crease. The hard-hitting batsman rekindled memories of his primes by smashing 3 sixes and a boundary to bring CSK on the brink of an implausible victory. But they eventually fell short of run and RCB took away the game. 

 © SportsCafe

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all