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CHENNAI, India – Chennai Super Kings launched their Indian Premier League title defense with a clinical six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Virat Kohli’s comeback match on Friday.
Kohli calmly scored 21 off 20 balls in Bengaluru’s below-average score of 173-6, and Chennai made 176-4 with eight balls to spare in the opening match of the nine-week league.
Kohli missed international cricket for almost two months, including India’s Test series victory over England, due to the birth of his second child, and was unable to prevent Chennai from achieving an eighth consecutive victory against Bengaluru at Chepauk.
After Bengaluru’s top order collapsed, Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik revived their hopes with a sixth-wicket stand of 95 off 57 balls.
Captain Faf du Plessis elected to bat and gave Bengaluru a good start in the powerplay as he hit eight boundaries in his 35th before falling to the variations of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who took 4-29.
Mustafizur dismissed du Plessis and Rajat Patidar in his only over in the powerplay, then took two more wickets, including Kohli, in his second over midway through the innings.
Kohli was caught brilliantly at deep midwicket when Ajinkya Rahane went full length and just before crashing into the boundary cushion, lofted the ball towards Rachin Ravindra to complete the catch.
Bengaluru were reeling at 78-5 and Mustafizur’s figures read 4-7 in his first two overs.
Chennai’s first place finish was among the runs in a windy chase. Ravindra, in his league debut, hit 37 off 15 balls with three sixes and three boundaries.
Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell kept the run pace and Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja combined for a half-century stand to guide Chennai home.
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