Kohli's 50 in vain as Chennai beats Bangalore in IPL

Virat Kohli’s third half century this season proved to be in vain as Chennaithumped play-off contender Bangalore by eight wickets for only their fourth win in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

Kohli’s 50 off 43 balls that included just one four and a six formed the nucleus of Bangalore’s otherwise below-par total of 145-6.

Opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad upstaged Kohli with an unbeaten 65 off 51 balls and guided Chennai to 150-2 in 18.4 overs when he lofted Chris Morris for a six over the long leg fence.

Bangalore have 14 points from 11 games and could still finish among the top two while Chennai are struggling down in seventh spot with only eight points after losing eight of their 12 games.

“What you saw in the second innings wasn’t a true reflection of how difficult the pitch was,” Kohli said in defence of his team’s total. “We didn’t hit the areas, (gave away) too many boundary balls … we just didn’t bowl enough slower balls.”

Chennai were effective with the slower balls after Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first. Fast bowler Sam Curran (3-19) deceived Aaron Finch (15) with a slower bouncer and the Australian skied an easy catch in the covers.

Faf du Plessis continued with his brilliant catching in the outfield this season when he relayed a catch to Gaikwad after tumbling over on the edge of the boundary to dismiss Devdutt Padikkal (22) soon after the batting powerplay.

New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchel Santner (1-23), playing his first game this season, and Imran Tahir (0-30) didn’t allow Kohli and AB de Villiers to break loose in the middle-overs and the two stroke-makers consumed 68 balls in raising an 82-run partnership.

Both batsmen holed out to the safe hands of du Plessis in the deep while attempting big shots as Bangalore could score only 44 runs in the last five overs and lost four wickets.

Gaikwad, who hit four boundaries and three sixes, and du Plessis (25) set up the strong run-chase by sharing a 46-run opening wicket stand from 31 balls.

Ambati Rayudu also hit three fours and two sixes before he was clean bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal in the 14th over. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (19 not out) ensured Chennai did not let the game slip away as Gaikwad finished it off with more than an over to spare in style.

“I felt this one was one of the perfect games,” Dhoni said. “Everything went to plan, and the execution was there. We kept picking up wickets and kept them to a total that was slightly below par.”