BENGALURU: Tim David, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal went ballistic with marauding knocks, powering Royal Challengers Bengaluru to an imposing 250 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match here on Sunday.
Padikkal (50, 29 balls) and David (70 off 25b) gave a complete towelling to the clueless Super Kings bowlers in an exhibition of mind-blowing range-hitting. Not to be left far behind was skipper Rajat Patidar, who smashed an unbeaten 48 off 19 balls.
The carnage began with Devdutt, who was involved in two crucial stands — a 56 (37b) with Phil Salt (46) for second wicket and 58 (21b) for the third wicket with skipper Patidar.
They were important alliances for RCB on a Chinnaswamy track with a hint of slowness after CSK asked them to bat first.
Salt was the more dominant partner during the second wicket partnership that helped them get over the early dismissal of Virat Kohli (28), who was dropped on seven by Shivam Dube off Khaleel Ahmed.
Salt’s calculated aggression, a six each off Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj, helped the home side finish the Power Play on a rather happy note of 51 for 1.
Salt did not last long post the six-over segment, giving a simple catch to Ahmad in the deep off Dube. The dismissal actually changed the tempo of RCB’s innings.
Devdutt, who was on 18 off 17 balls till that point, shifted a couple of gears upwards, and smashed Dube for a couple of sixes and a four as RCB’s run rate zoomed past the 10-run an over mark for the first time in the innings.
The left-hander fetched his second successive fifty of this IPL through a single off Matt Henry. But he could not stay longer in the middle as an attempt to reverse scoop Jamie Overton left his stumps in disarray.
But by then RCB had milked 62 runs in the overs between 11 and 15, and once Devdutt trudged back Patidar in the company of Tim David built on the foundation.
The Bengaluru side was 153 for 3 after 15 overs, and they added a further 97 runs in the last five overs, also exploiting some poor lines by CSK bowlers at death.
Patidar and David were brutal during their fourth wicket association, as the ball flew to all corners of Chinnaswamy and they added 99 runs (36b) for the unbroken fourth wicket.
Patidar was severe on Khaleel, who kept pitching the ball in his wheelhouse, carting him for two six and a four in his fourth and final over.
David biffed Ahmad for three sixes in the 17th over to join the rampage.
The Australian made a mockery of Overton in the 19th over, carting him for four sixes, three in row, as CSK’s bowling frailties were exposed once again against a strong batting line-up.