RCB vs CSK, IPL 2023 Highlights: Chennai keep Bangalore's epic chase at bay, win by 8 runs

Du Plessis is on 48 off 21 (SR: 228.57), Maxwell 34 off 18 (SR: 188.88). Their partnership has produced 80 runs in just 37 balls. This partnership has officially surpassed anything CSK managed in their entire innings. RCB need 134 from 72 balls.  

Well at the moment, Maxwell and Du Plessis are making it look easy. Pathirana, the little Malinga, comes in for the eighth over, the third ball is a yorker and Maxwell cover drives that (!!!!) for four. Then Pathirana goes short and Maxwell smacks it over midwicket.

The partnership is now 61 runs in just 24 balls. Du Plessis and Maxwell are turning it on but the real challenge is for them to keep this going for as long as possible.  

Today is six festival in Bangalore and RCB are just trying to stay with the pace of this chase with these big hits. There needs to be a truly monumental partnership between these two if they are to stand a chance though.

The next ball is in the slot, Du Plessis whips it over midwicket. The carnage continues. 

Slow full and wide for the third ball of the fifth from Akash, Du Plessis reaches out for it and smashes it down the ground for a maximum.

Du Plessis first sends the third ball of the fourth over mid-off. Then he hits the next ball over midwicket and then goes behind square for the six off the fifth ball.

Maxwell with a beauty, lofted drive that sends the ball all the way over long-on. He reaches 12 in 5 balls, du Plessis is on six off four.

Short from Akash for the fourth ball of the second, Maxwell smashes it over fine leg.

No lives for Lomror her, gets a top edge off an attempted heave-ho over point and Gaikwad takes the dolly at cover point.

Mahipal Lomror c Gaikwad b Deshpande 0 (5b), RCB 15/2 in 2 overs

And it goes for four as well. Tushar Deshpande is bowling the second, Du Plessis ends up top edging the slice and it flies above Dhoni. The height seems to have surprised him and it hits his glove and goes through. Wow, how many times have we seen Dhoni drop any. And this is just after Maheesh Theekshana dropped a sitter to give Mahipal Lomror a life. 

That is the strangest drag on you will ever see. Kohli steps out again, and gets an underedge on it. The ball then trickles on to the stumps.

Kohli b Akash Singh 6 (4), RCB 6/1 (0.4 Ov)

Kohli steps out and crashes the first ball of the first over bowled by Akash Singh, CSK's impact player. That's exactly what RCB would need to do to chase this mammoth down. 

“It was amazing for me, playing at this stadium, on this wicket and in front of this crowd. I mentioned it before that I back my strengths and that was what was needed today. Definitely, I believe it is not easy to stop me when I get going, that’s what I believe and the team believes. The size of the ground and the wicket was good, and the freedom I got was something I enjoyed. 226 on any track should be enough, but we need to bowl in the right areas. Since childhood, I have had this power. My dad has given me enough protein because he knows what is needed at this level.”

That was a sixathon if there ever was one. Except for maybe Ruturaj Gaikwad and MS Dhoni, with the latter facing just one ball and taking a single, every single batter came in, swung for the hills and got the result. Every single bowler who bowled today got one wicket each but all of them except Mohammed Siraj went for over 10 runs an over. 

That is all the fans care about. Jadeja is caught at long-on and that means the fans can see the great man bat for at least two balls. The whole stadium chants for Dhoni as he walks out. 

Harshal bowls a beamer second ball whoch is called a no ball and then he bowls another above waist-high full toss for the third ball. Umpire then asks him to go off and Glenn Maxwell will finish the over.

Just 10 runs off the 19th over by Siraj, which is low considering how it has gone today. This crowd has been chanting for Dhoni throughout and it does look like they might not get to see him bat today. 

Two fresh batters out there in the middle but that term means nothing today. They are coming and swinging for the hills and getting the result more often than not. It is Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali in the middle now.  

Rayudu came in, hit a couple of big ones and now leaves. The perfect T20 death over innings considering CSK still have Jadeja and Dhoni to come next. This is a revolving door of big hitters at the moment.

Rayudu c Karthik b Vyshak 14 (6), CSK 198/5 in 17.4 overs

Dube falls to Parnell after scoring 52 in 27 with Siraj taking the catch at the boundary. That has come off the toe end of the bat and Siraj does well to take it at deep mid just centimetres from the rope. 

Dube c Mohammed Siraj b Parnell 52 (27), CSK 178/4 (16.3 overs)

First ball of the 17th is sent sailing back over the bowler's head by Shivam Dube. What a half century this is from the big man.

Yorker from hell and that is the end for Conway. Perfect delivery from Harshal Patel, a dipping yorker that makes Conway lose his shape completely. The ball blasts on to the stumps.

Conway b Patel 83 (45), CSK 170/3 in 15.4 overs

Conway this time. CSK are 165/2 in 15 overs, 19 runs have come off that one. Conway has moved to 83 off 44 while Dube is on 40 off 20.  

Vyshak misses the yorker and Dube latches on to it. Smashes it over long-on.