Classy Kohli helps Royal Challengers Bangalore condemn Chennai Super Kings to 37-run loss

Yet another
botched run chase condemned the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a fifth Indian Premier
League (IPL) defeat in seven games as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
completed an emphatic 37-run victory on Saturday.

Having chased
all their games so far in the IPL, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side has time
and again seen their batsmen fumble as ageing stars struggle with consistency.

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Opening duo
Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis, who put up a record stand for CSK in the 10-wicket
victory over KXIP earlier in the season, fluffed their lines once again as both were dismissed by Washington
Sundar.

Debutant Narayan
Jagadeesan put up a fight of sorts with Ambati Rayudu as the two added 64 runs
for the third wicket before Chris Morris ended the former’s impressive cameo
with a sharp run-out.

The wickets
kept tumbling from there on, with skipper Dhoni failing to make his mark with
the bat once again as he was caught in the deep by Gurkrat Singh while trying to
dispatch Yuzvendra Chahal into the stands.

Morris
cleaned out the remaining middle-order batsmen, dismissing Sam Curran, Dwayne
Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja after Isuru Udana clean bowled Ambati Rayudu to put
him out of his misery.

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Earlier, Virat
Kohli, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, turned on the style as his unbeaten
90 from 52 balls helped RCB post a 169-run total.  

RCB were in
a precarious position at one point, losing opener Devdutt Padikkal and AB de
Villiers in quick succession before Kohli’s masterclass steered them to a
comfortable total.

The win lifts
them to fourth in the points table, with eight points from six matches while CSK
are in dire straits with five losses in seven matches and are currently sixth,
with Rajasthan Royals below them having a game in hand.

They will
next be in action on Tuesday, when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, while RCB
face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.