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Bengaluru, April 6 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming defended his team and expressed optimism about the future and long-term vision with a youthful squad after the five-time winners suffered their third straight loss on IPL 2026.

CSK’s struggles continued as they failed to chase down a daunting 250/3 posted by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, powered by blistering knocks from Tim David, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal.

Despite resistance from Sarfaraz Khan and youngster Prashant Veer, CSK were bowled out for 207, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading the charge with the ball.

With pressure mounting after a winless start to the campaign, questions have emerged around CSK’s squad overhaul and auction strategy.

“I think we’ve got some really good talent. This is, there’s five or six new players that have started this season, but we think they are of high value moving forward,” he said in the post-match press conference.

The five-time champions had drawn scrutiny for splurging heavily on uncapped Indian players like Veer and wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma, while letting go of experienced names. Fleming explained that the shift was deliberate and necessary.

While CSK’s batting has been inconsistent, it is their bowling that has raised greater concern. The side has now conceded totals in excess of 200 in two of their three matches, including the 250 they allowed RCB, who plundered 97 runs in the final five overs.

Fleming, however, pointed to broader trends in T20 cricket and the impact of rule changes.

“Bowling is under pressure in the IPL, especially with the impact rule. You’re seeing players who are taking the game on, and their skill set is very high. So, look, all bowling attacks are under pressure. We need to execute better. There’s no doubt about it. But there’s a lot of pressure on bowling units, especially in good conditions,” he said.

“As we reviewed last season, we had to spend a lot of money on Indian talent, so as to regenerate the franchise and create a foundation moving forward. We’d lost some key players in terms of creating a core, whether it be an Indian batting group or just an Indian group, so there was money spent on the future there, which has been well-documented,” he explained.

Traditionally, CSK have relied on an experienced domestic core featuring players like Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav. The current approach, however, marks a clear departure, with the franchise betting on raw, emerging talent.

"It is becoming difficult as teams bundle (uncapped) players. So that’s one of the challenges. But we are constantly looking at where the game is going next and trying to secure a player that we think will be the next big thing, or where the game will go," Fleming said, explaining the rationale behind targeting uncapped players.

Reflecting on the fearless approach of modern batters, particularly evident in RCB’s late onslaught, Fleming noted, “They’re full of skill and innovation, and it’s the modern game. Going back to the bowling, it’s easy to criticise the bowling, but they’re under a huge amount of pressure on good wickets to shut down these types of players.”

He repeatedly returned to the Impact Player rule, suggesting it has tilted the balance in favour of batters.

“You’ve got no fear because you’ve got an extra player, and what’s happened is players have developed an attitude where they can just take on anything. So, look, it’s very difficult when there’s no assistance, and you’re going to get cameos and performances like this when conditions are so good,” he said.

“I am not sure how much longer it’s here, or if it’s here to stay, but that certainly changes the dynamic of cricket and probably sways it a little bit towards batting power,” he added.

“So again, you say, how long is the impact player rule here? Will all-rounders come back into the game, or will it continue to be a game of dashers? I don’t know. I’d like to see the balance between bat and ball a little bit more,” he opined.

Despite the team’s struggles, Fleming backed Sanju Samson, who has endured a lean run with three low scores.

“He’s not going to score every time. It’s just T20 cricket. He nicked one today, but he’s in good form. He’s training well, and when he gets going, he’s often a match-winner and wins games,” he said.

With three losses on the trot and a transitional squad finding its feet, CSK’s campaign is under early pressure, but Fleming’s remarks underline a clear commitment to long-term rebuilding over short-term results.

--IANS

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Houston, April 6 (IANS) Andres Andrade and Ben Shelton capped a dream run at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship when they won their first tour-level title together.

Shelton and Andrade captured the US Clay doubles with a comeback win over top-seeded Brazilians Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos. After dropping the opening set, the former Florida Gators rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 10-6 victory in the deciding match tiebreaker.

Shelton, currently No. 9 in the ATP Rankings, lost to Thiago Agustin Tirante in the singles quarter-final, but continued battling in doubles to claim his first ATP Tour doubles trophy. With the triumph, the 23-year-old became the first American doubles champion in Houston since Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in 2016. Shelton also won the singles title in 2024.

Shelton also became just the third player this century to win both the singles and doubles titles in Houston, joining Mardy Fish (2004, 2006) and Andy Roddick (2002).

It is also a first tour-level doubles crown for Andrade. With the Houston trophy, the 27-year-old became the first Ecuadorian to win a tour-level doubles title since Gonzalo Escobar in Estoril in 2024.

The 27-year-old, currently ranked a career-high No. 218 in singles, became the first Ecuadorian US Clay title winner in 40 years since Andres Gomez won in 1986. He’s also only the fifth Ecuadorian man to win an ATP doubles title in Open Era history.

Luz and Matos, the Buenos Aires and Santiago champions, were seeking their third title of 2026. They would have tied Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten and Theo Arribage/Albano Olivetti as the only teams to claim three tour-level titles this season had they won. The Brazilians hold a 20-7 record this season, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.

After Houston, Shelton and Andrade will return to their usual tour rhythms. Shelton heads to Europe to continue his spring schedule in Munich, Madrid, Rome, and eventually Roland Garros, while Andrade remains stateside on the ITF and Challenger circuits, beginning with the Sarasota Challenger

--IANS

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Houston, April 6 (IANS) Tommy Paul captured his first U.S. Men's Clay Court Championshipcrown with a 6–1, 3–6, 7–5 victory over Argentina’s Roman Andres Burruchaga. This is his fifth ATP Tour title and first on clay.

The 28-year-old saved three match points on championship Sunday, climbing out of a 3–5 deficit in the third set by reeling off four straight games to notch the title.

Although this was his first clay title, he is a two-time semifinalist at the Italian Open and was a 2025 Roland Garros quarterfinalist.

He joined Francis Tiafoe as the only two active Americans to win titles on clay, grass, and hard courts. Additionally, he’s now the American tour leader in 2026 match wins with a 19-7 record on the year.

Paul ensured a fifth consecutive American champion in Houston with his two-hour, 40-minute triumph. The home favourite followed Reilly Opelka (2022), Frances Tiafoe (2023), Ben Shelton (2024) and Jenson Brooksby (2025). With the win, the 28-year-old Paul became the oldest Houston champion since a 32-year-old Juan Monaco in 2016.

After Paul sprinted through the opening set, Burruchaga responded with a steadier second set, extending points and finding his rhythm on return to force a decider. The third set became the true test of nerves. Down three match points while trailing 5-3, Paul was simply inches and minutes away from defeat. After he forced two errors from Burruchaga on the first two, Paul rushed the net with a touch volley winner to stay alive.

Paul then took the lead 6-5 before Burruchaga himself staged a mini-comeback and nearly forced a third-set tiebreaker. The Argentine served at 40–0, but Paul dug in point by point and outlasted his opponent to win the final set, 7-5.

Paul will move back inside the Top 20 for the first time since last October, projected to rise to No. 18 in next week’s ATP rankings. Meanwhile, Burruchaga will rise to a new career-high of No. 62 after entering the tournament ranked No. 77 and cracking the Top 100 for the first time in February.

--IANS

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Charleston, April 6 (IANS) Top seed Jessica Pegula defeated surprise finalist Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine, 6-2, 6-2, becoming the first player to defend the Charleston Open title on Daniel Island since Serena Williams in 2012-13.

The victory gives Pegula her second title of 2026, following her WTA 1000 triumph in Dubai in February, and the 11th singles title of her career. She is now 11-11 in WTA singles finals and leads the WTA Tour with 24 wins this season.

“It was definitely a tough path last year and this year,” said Pegula, who spent more than 13 hours on the court this week between singles and doubles. “I think sometimes when you win a tournament, you kind of romanticize it, like it was so easy. It’s usually not. There are usually some days when it’s really hard. I think I shifted my mindset coming back and defending.”

Pegula joins an impressive list of women who have won this title more than once, including Williams, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Tracy Austin.

Pegula trailed briefly on serve at 2-1, but she rattled off five straight games to take the first set in just over half an hour.

The turning point came at 2-2, when a Starodubtseva forehand miss into the open court gave Pegula a small opening at 30-30. Another forehand error on the next point handed her a break point, and though she didn’t convert that one, a third miss off the same wing for Starodubtseva delivered Pegula the break.

Pegula built a 5-0 lead in the second. Serving for the match, she hit a brief snag in a 12-minute game in which Starodubtseva saved three championship points and earned her first break of the afternoon. But Pegula righted the ship two games later.

A clean forehand strike to open the final game set the table for a tidy love hold, and 15 minutes after her first opportunity, she converted her fourth championship point to seal the win, WTA reports.

Starodubtseva was appearing in her first tour-level final. The 26-year-old wasn’t even in the main draw until Amanda Anisimova’s last-minute withdrawal made a spot available.

Starodubtseva is set for a significant jump. After entering the week at No. 89, she is projected to rise to a career-high No. 53, 10 spots above her previous best of No. 63.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) A marauding batting show led by Tim David, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s incisive spell of 3-41 propelled defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a commanding 43-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2026 encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The marquee contest saw RCB’s batting unit dismantle CSK’s attack with relentless hitting, as David’s 70 not out off just 25 balls and Patidar’s unbeaten 48 off only 19 balls provided for a grandstand finish after Padikkal’s fluent 50 off 29 balls – his second consecutive fifty of the season - had set the tone for the daunting total.

The trio’s combined effort, including an unbroken 99-run stand off just 35 balls between David and Patidar, who indulged in mind-blowing range-hitting, lifted RCB to a daunting 250/3, thus setting a new record for highest total in IPL 2026.

After clobbering Noor Ahmad for three consecutive sixes, a sensational David cut loose in the penultimate over by smashing Jamie Overton for four sixes and a four to reach his second IPL half-century in just 21 balls. His power-hitting had even got Virat Kohli to rise from his seat in the RCB dugout.

In reply, CSK faltered under scoreboard pressure, with Sarfaraz Khan’s 50 off 24 balls and Prashant Veer’s 43 the lone acts of resistance amid a string of failures from the top order.

Bhuvneshwar was at his disciplined best and even crossed the 200-mark in terms of wickets in IPL, with others also chipping in as CSK were bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs. The comprehensive win also meant RCB have registered four consecutive triumphs over CSK for the first time in the IPL’s history.

RCB began cautiously after being put into batting first, with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli negotiating early swing from Khaleel Ahmed and Matt Henry. Kohli broke the shackles in the fourth over, striking Henry for a six and two boundaries, but fell soon after for 28 off 18 balls, caught by Shivam Dube, who had shelled an earlier chance, off Anshul Kamboj.

Salt, who had struggled early, found rhythm with pulls and slog-sweeps to race to 46 off 30 before Dube dismissed him in the 11th over. Padikkal, dropped once by Ruturaj Gaikwad at cover, shifted gears in the middle overs.

He cracked three fours and two sixes off Dube and Henry to bring up his second successive half-century, raising his bat to the noisy and cheerful Chinnaswamy crowd. His innings ended at 50 off 29 balls, bowled by Jamie Overton while trying to play a lap shot in the 15th over.

From 151/3 in 14.1 overs, Patidar and David launched a stunning counterattack, leaving many in awe of it. Patidar carved Khaleel for two sixes and a four, while David went after Noor Ahmad, smashing three consecutive sixes – twice over deep mid-wicket and once over long-off - in the 17th over.

Kamboj thought he had yorked David, but an overstep turned it into a free hit, which David dispatched for another maximum. Overton bore the brunt in the 19th over, conceding 30 runs as David hammered four sixes and a four to reach his half-century in 21 balls – with a towering 106m maximum going over the stadium’s roof – as a whopping 97 runs came off the last five overs.

CSK’s chase began on a shaky note as Jacob Duffy removed Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Bhuvneshwar claimed his 200th IPL wicket by taking out Ayush Mhatre cheaply. After Duffy dismissed Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries and sixes off Duffy, Bhuvneshwar and Abhinandan Singh to race to a half-century off just 24 balls.

But his dismissal to Krunal Pandya, who also dismissed Kartik Sharma, in the seventh over left CSK tottering at 84/5. After Shivam Dube’s vigil was cut short by Abhinandan, Veer and Jamie Overton joined forces for a spirited 57-run stand.

Veer struck 43 off 29 balls, while Overton smashed 37 off 16, but both perished to Bhuvneshwar and Suyash Sharma respectively. Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj struck a few boundaries, but Bhuvneshwar and Abhinandan took them out to seal a great win for RCB in a contest which didn’t live up to its hype.

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 250/3 in 20 overs (Tim David 70 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 50; Shivam Dube 1-30, Jamie Overton 1-42) beat Chennai Super Kings 207 in 19.4 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 50, Prashant Veer 43; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-41, Abhinandan Singh 2-30) by 43 runs

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s incisive spell of 3-41, coming after a marauding batting show from Tim David, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a commanding 43-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2026 encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The contest saw RCB’s batting unit dismantle CSK’s attack with relentless hitting, as David’s 70 not out off just 25 balls and Patidar’s unbeaten 48 off only 19 balls provided for the late fireworks after Padikkal’s fluent 50 off 29 balls had set the tone for the daunting total.

Their combined effort lifted RCB to a daunting 250/3, thus setting a new record for highest total in IPL 2026. In reply, CSK faltered under scoreboard pressure, with Sarfaraz Khan’s 50 off 24 balls and Prashant Veer’s 43 the lone acts of resistance amid a string of failures from the top order.

Bhuvneshwar was at his disciplined best and even crossed the 200-mark in terms of wickets in IPL, with others also chipping in as CSK were bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs. The comprehensive win also meant RCB have registered four consecutive triumphs over CSK for the first time in the IPL’s history.

CSK’s chase began on a shaky note as Jacob Duffy removed Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Bhuvneshwar claimed his 200th IPL wicket by taking out Ayush Mhatre cheaply. After Duffy dismissed Sanju Samson, Sarfaraz counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries and sixes off Duffy, Bhuvneshwar and Abhinandan Singh to race to a half-century off just 24 balls.

But his dismissal to Krunal Pandya, who also dismissed Kartik Sharma, in the seventh over left CSK tottering at 84/5. After Shivam Dube’s vigil was cut short by Abhinandan, Veer and Jamie Overton joined forces for a spirited 57-run stand. Veer struck 43 off 29 balls, while Overton smashed 37 off 16, but both perished to Bhuvneshwar and Suyash Sharma respectively. Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj struck a few boundaries, but Bhuvneshwar and Abhinandan took them out to seal a great win for RCB.

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 250/3 in 20 overs (Tim David 70 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 50; Shivam Dube 1-30, Jamie Overton 1-42) beat Chennai Super Kings 207 in 19.4 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 50, Prashant Veer 43; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-41, Abhinandan Singh 2-30) by 43 runs

--IANS

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Kolkata, April 5 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 12th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, at the Eden Gardens.

Kolkata Knight Riders enter this match under pressure. They have lost their first two games against Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 season. With their season still struggling, KKR is hoping home support will help them bounce back.

On the other hand, Punjab Kings have been one of the top teams so far. They started with a thrilling win over Gujarat Titans, followed by a strong victory against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. Boosted by confidence and momentum, PBKS is looking to secure their third win in a row.

Match details:

When: Monday, April 6, 7:30 PM IST

Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Where to watch: Star Sports Network and JioStar

Squads:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh (vc), Finn Allen, Tejasvi Dahiya, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Sarthak Ranjan, Tim Seifert, Rahul Tripathi, Daksh Kamra, Cameron Green, Sunil Narine, Rachin Ravindra, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Saurabh Dubey, Kartik Tyagi, Blessing Muzarabani, Navdeep Saini, Prashant Solanki and Umran Malik.

Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Harnoor Singh, Mitchell Owen, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, April 5 (IANS) Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka emphasised patience and collective belief after his team secured a thrilling last-over victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, saying performances like these reflect the process of building a successful season.

Lucknow edged past Hyderabad by five wickets in a tense last-over finish at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, with skipper Rishabh Pant guiding the chase of 157 with one ball to spare after a spirited fight from the hosts.

Following the win, Goenka emphasised that building a successful campaign in a long tournament requires time and belief within the group and credited the leadership group and the clarity within the squad for the team’s performance under pressure. He also acknowledged that, while the result was encouraging, the team remains focused on further improvement as the tournament progresses.

“Building a season takes time, patience, and collective belief. Today reflected all three. The captain set the tone, and the group followed with clarity and discipline. That alignment is what allows a team to grow. A step forward, with a long way still to go. Grateful for the support. We keep building from here,” Goenka wrote in an Instagram post.

Lucknow’s bowlers had earlier laid the foundation by restricting Hyderabad to 156/9 despite a strong middle-order partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The chase later went down to the final over before Pant sealed the result.

The victory provided Lucknow with valuable momentum in the competition, marking their first win of the IPL 2026 campaign. Before Pant and Aiden Markram’s knocks, Mohammed Shami registered a brilliant spell of 2-9 in four overs to keep the hosts in check. LSG will next face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday at the iconic Eden Gardens.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) Left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal said he was relieved to see Tim David take charge of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) innings, as the power-hitter hit an unbeaten 70 off 25 balls to take the side to a commanding 250/3 against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2026 clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

Padikkal, who struck a fluent half-century off 29 balls, admitted the innings needed acceleration at the right time. "I think at the strategic timeout as well, we had to, we knew that we had to keep going and it was an important phase from there on and I'm probably glad that I got out because the way Tim went from there, it was incredible," he said to broadcasters in mid-innings break.

He also explained that the pitch demanded caution early on before it became better to bat on. "I think it was a bit tacky early on, especially with the new ball wasn't coming on that well and we have to make sure that we don't lose too many wickets. We understand that in the Chinnaswamy, if we have wickets in hand in the last five, six overs, we can really maximize and that's what we did," said Padikkal.

He further said setting targets at the venue was difficult. "Not really, to be honest. It's very hard to set a target here in Chinnaswamy. It's important that the moment you have that momentum behind you, you have to just keep going."

Reflecting on his own approach, Padikkal stressed the importance of self-belief. "Definitely, it's the belief, I feel. It's important that I believed in myself that I can really go out there and play at a very high tempo. Over the years, I've not been able to do that and coming into the last year as well. I wanted to make sure that I really believe in myself and make sure that I go out there and enjoy myself," he said.

On defending champions RCB making 250/3, the highest score in IPL 2026 so far, Padikkal was optimistic but cautious. "I think it's a really good score. But again, anything can happen in cricket. We have to do our things right and hopefully we'll get the win," he concluded.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) Riding on blazing knocks from Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted 250/3 in their 20 overs, the highest total of IPL 2026, against Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

On a pitch which eased out as the game progressed, an unbroken 99-run stand off just 35 balls between David, who hit 70 not out off just 25 balls and Patidar, who smashed 48 not out off only 19 deliveries, was the key to RCB touching 250-mark and set CSK an uphill mountain to climb.

Before the duo came in to unleash carnage on CSK, Padikkal was rock-solid in hitting 50 off 29 balls – his second consecutive fifty of the season. After clobbering Noor Ahmad for three consecutive sixes, David cut loose in the penultimate over by smashing Jamie Overton for four sixes and a four to reach his second IPL half-century in 21 balls. His power-hitting had even got Virat Kohli to rise from his seat in the RCB dugout.

RCB began cautiously after being put into batting first, with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli negotiating early swing from Khaleel Ahmed and Matt Henry. Kohli broke the shackles in the fourth over, striking Henry for a six and two boundaries, but fell soon after for 28 off 18 balls, caught by Shivam Dube, who had shelled an earlier chance, off Anshul Kamboj.

Salt, who had struggled early, found rhythm with pulls and slog-sweeps to race to 46 off 30 before Dube dismissed him in the 11th over.

Padikkal, dropped once by Ruturaj Gaikwad at cover, shifted gears in the middle overs. He cracked three fours and two sixes off Dube and Henry to bring up his second successive half-century, raising his bat to the noisy and cheerful Chinnaswamy crowd. His innings ended at 50 off 29 balls, bowled by Jamie Overton while trying to play a lap shot in the 15th over.

From 151/3 in 14.1 overs, Patidar and David launched a stunning counterattack, leaving many in awe of it. Patidar carved Khaleel for two sixes and a four, while David went after Noor Ahmad, smashing three consecutive sixes – twice over deep mid-wicket and once over long-off - in the 17th over.

Kamboj thought he had yorked David, but an overstep turned it into a free hit, which David dispatched for another maximum. Overton bore the brunt in the 19th over, conceding 30 runs as David hammered four sixes and a four to reach his half-century in 21 balls – with one of his towering hits going outside the stadium – as 97 runs came off the last five overs.

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 250/3 in 20 overs (Tim David 70 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 50; Shivam Dube 1-30, Jamie Overton 1-42) against Chennai Super Kings

--IANS

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