Chennai Super Kings dominated the second time they met Royal Challengers Bangalore, making it 2-0 against Virat Kohli’s men in the Indian Premier League 2021.

While the Bangalore openers had a better start than the Chennai duo, Bangalore somehow managed to lose this contest.

RCB set up a mediocre total of 156/6 despite having skipper Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal give them a dream start.

Bravo changes the context of the game

Both VK and his 21-year-old partner struck half-centuries with ease, dominated the first 10 overs and hammers the Chennai bowlers at will.

However, everything changed with Kohli’s wicket falling to Dwayne Bravo.

This was the breakthrough Mahendra Singh Dhoni was looking for.

One after another, the wickets kept falling like a domino effect had hit the star-studded Bangalore side.

Both Padikkal and AB de Villiers returned to hut in two balls.

Glenn Maxwell and Harshal Patel fell to Bravo again and with that the hopes of all RCB supporters who have been waiting for a decade to see the team lift the coveted IPL title.

Padikkal’s fifty goes in vain

Devdutt Padikkal’s 70 off 50 showed the class he possesses.

He struck the ball at every corner of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium before falling cheaply to Shardul Thakur.

Once Kohli departed after a well-made 53, Padikkal followed him to the hut in a matter of few deliveries. The 21-year-old has scored 217 runs in seven games so far.

Chennai Super Kings 157 for 4 (Gaikwad 38, Rayudu 32, Harshal 2-25) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 156 for 6 (Padikkal 70, Kohli 53, Bravo 3-24, Thakur 2-29) by six wickets.

Match preview – DC vs RR

Delhi Capitals have been clicking in every department so far.

A showdown against Rajasthan Royals should be an easy chance for Rishabh Pant’s men to grab two more points.

Probable performers of the day

Shikhar Dhawan

Although Dhawan has been excluded from India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 that will be held at the same venue where Delhi will take on Rajasthan on Saturday, the left-hander has been making the BCCI rethink their decision with his IPL performances.

He has been the tournament’s top scorer so far with 422 runs already in nine games only.

At an average that goes just over 52, he has become the backbone of the Capital’s batting line-up.

Shreyas Iyer

Iyer holds the Delhi batting together like glue.

The Capitals have been managing well in his absence, but his return will turn DC into a batting powerhouse.

His unbeaten 47* against the Sunriser Hyderabad showed that he’s in fine touch.

A player of Iyer’s caliber should deliver the goods in the Saturday game when the stakes will be high as every IPL franchise is now looking to seal a spot in the playoffs.

Match prediction

Rajasthan Royals are coming off a miraculous win against Punjab Kings, but they have been rather inconsistent throughout the campaign.

On the other hand, DC have been performing rather consistently.

They sit at the second spot in the points table with 14 points in the bag, having won the last three matches in a row.

It’s fair to say that Pant’s men are the firm favourites for tomorrow’s clash.