The Chepauk crowd buzzed as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted 196 against Chennai Super Kings. Rajat Patidar led the charge with a crisp 51 off 32 balls, but it was Tim David’s final-over fireworks—three back-to-back sixes—that pushed RCB into a strong position.
Early fireworks, early exits
Phil Salt came out swinging, smashing 32 off just 16 before Noor Ahmed outfoxed him. MS Dhoni’s lightning-quick stumping sent Salt packing. Devdutt Padikkal kept the tempo up with 27 off 14, but Ravichandran Ashwin cut his innings short.
Virat Kohli anchored briefly with 31 off 30, but Noor struck again, trapping him lbw. The Afghan spinner wasn’t done—he cleaned up Liam Livingstone (10) and Jitesh Sharma (12) to finish with 3 wickets.
Patidar’s statement knock
While wickets fell around him, Patidar held firm. His 51 included 4 fours and 3 sixes, a captain’s knock under pressure. The Twitterverse took notice, with Star Sports hailing his “first fifty as RCB skipper.”
5ager 5 RCB’s Gen Bold Skipper!#Rajatpatidar LED the fight from the front, Scoring his first half-content as RCB Captain!#Iplonjiostar 👉 CSK 🆚 RCB | Live Now on SS-1, SS-1 Hindi, SS-3 & Jiohotstar! pic.twitter.com/pm3kmayyyrk
— Star Sports (@StarsportsIndia) March 28, 2025
Noor’s revenge
After being tonked for a six, Noor Ahmed responded by shattering Jitesh Sharma’s stumps. The IPL’s official handle captured the moment:
How do you reply after you are hit for a six?
Noor Ahmad Says Timber Strike 🎯
Updates ▶ https://t.co/i7mahmwxds #Tataipl , #CSKVRCB , @Chennaiipl , @noor_ahmad_15 pic.twitter.com/5ipkpjxwwe
— Indianpremierleague (@IPL) March 28, 2025
Now, CSK’s batters face a steep chase. Can they reel in 197, or will RCB’s bowlers defend the total? The Chepauk pitch, slowing down, might just have the last word.