Chennai hits highest score of IPL season to go top

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Chennai Super Kings hit 235-4 in the highest score so far this season by any team in the Indian Premier League as it crushed Kolkata Knight Riders by 49 runs on Sunday.

Ajinkya Rahane hit 71 not out off 29 deliveries and Shivam Dube contributed a 21-ball 50 as Chennai recorded the highest-ever IPL total at Eden Gardens, beating Kolkata's 232-4 against Mumbai Indians in 2019.

In reply, Kolkata finished at 186-8 which included Jason Roy’s 26-ball 61.

Chennai moved top of the standings with its fifth win in seven games after Rajasthan Royals lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven runs earlier Sunday.

Asked to bat first, Chennai got off to a flier thanks to a 73-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad (35).

Conway hit his fourth consecutive half-century, scoring 56 off 40 balls. Their opening stand was the perfect platform for Rahane and Dube, who hit a barrage of boundaries to regale the packed Eden Gardens.

Rahane reached 50 off 24 balls, and hit five sixes as well as six fours overall. Dube hit five sixes, as the duo added 85 off 32 balls.

Dube’s dismissal didn’t slow down Rahane, who scored 21 off the last five deliveries he faced and put on another 38 off 13 balls with Ravindra Jadeja (18).

It was Chennai’s third highest score in IPL history and proved to be well beyond Kolkata’s reach. Young pacer Akash Singh bowled an impressive opening spell, dismissing Sunil Narine for a three-ball duck.

Kolkata was 2-1 before Roy arrived at the crease. He didn’t open owing to an injury whilst fielding, but unleashed five fours and five sixes to reach 50 off 19 balls.

His 65-run partnership with Rinku Singh for the fifth wicket kept things interesting, but the target proved to be far out of reach.

Singh scored his second half-century of the season with 53 not out off 33 balls.

BANGALORE UPSETS RAJASTHAN

Harshal Patel successfully defended 20 off the last six balls as Bangalore beat second-place Rajasthan in another IPL last-over thriller.

Glenn Maxwell smacked 77 off 44 balls, including six fours and four sixes, to take Bangalore to 189-9 after being asked to bat first. In reply, Devdutt Padikkal’s half-century wasn’t enough as Rajasthan finished at 182-6 to lose its second straight game.

It was a dreadful start for the capacity home crowd as Virat Kohli fell for a golden duck off the very first ball, trapped lbw by Trent Boult for his 100th IPL wicket.

Bangalore was down to 12-2 before Maxwell and Faf du Plessis came to the rescue with a 127-run partnership off 11 overs.

Despite losing early wickets, Maxwell played fearless cricket to score 50 off 27 balls.

At the other end, du Plessis hit two sixes and eight fours. He reached 50 off 31 balls as the duo revived Bangalore’s innings.

Du Plessis was run out for 62 off 39 balls, and Maxwell departed shortly afterward to leave Bangalore at 156-4.

Rajasthan then crept back into the game, allowing only 35 runs to be scored in the final five overs as Bangalore’s batting issues crept up again. Dinesh Karthik had yet another disappointing outing, scoring only 16 off 13 balls.

Mohammed Siraj got Bangalore’s bowlers off to a great start. He bowled Jos Buttler through the gate for a two-ball duck.

Padikkal, coming in at No. 3, and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal added 98 off 66 balls for the second wicket.

Padikkal scored 52 off 34, including seven fours and a six, against his former IPL team. Jaiswal hit five fours and two sixes as Rajasthan’s chase appeared to be sailing smoothly.

David Willey then broke through, dismissing Padikkal, before Patel got into the act by removing Jaiswal as well. Rajasthan had lost both batters in the space of 12 deliveries and was down to 108-3.

The middle order didn’t pick up the momentum for once, with Sanju Samson out for 22 to Patel again, while big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer was run out for two.

Dhruv Jorel tried to provide the finishing touch with 34 not out off 16, and Bangalore’s slow over rate worked to Rajasthan’s advantage.

With only four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle, Ravichandran Ashwin managed 10 off the first three balls but was then out caught.

Patel (3-32) managed to keep Jorel off strike and bowled midtable Bangalore to its second consecutive win.

___

More AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports