Royal Challengers ride power-packed batting to trump brave Super Kings

Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a brilliant batting effort before their bowlers quelled a brave fightback by Chennai Super Kings by a mere two runs in a thrilling Indian Premier League clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

- AJEYO BASU

The win propelled RCB to the top of the points table, having completed a league double over CSK for the first time in IPL history. They are now on 16 points from 11 matches and enjoy a two-point lead over second-placed Mumbai Indians.

In a match which went right down to the last ball, RCB were boosted by some destructive hitting lower-order batting by Romario Shepherd to post a mammoth 213/5 in their 20 overs.

In reply, CSK mounted a spirited chase spearheaded by a whirlwind innings of 94 by Ayush Mhatre, which came off just 48 deliveries and was studded with nine boundaries and five sixes. Mhatre was involved in a 114-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja which carried the hosts tantalisingly close to the target.