It was a matter of few inches, Just a few inches.

What was done by Dhoni against Bangladesh at Bangalore in 2016 T20 World cup, Was contextually replicated by Parthiv Patel to clinch a win for RCB, While Dhoni, The captain of CSK, Was at the non-striker's end this time? CSK opt to bowl
Royal Challengers Bangalore (Playing XI): Parthiv Patel(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Akshdeep Nath, Moeen Ali, Marcus Stoinis, Pawan Negi, Dale Steyn, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umesh Yadav

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Kedar Jadhav, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir

Changes
CSK In: MS Dhoni Dwayne, Bravo Out: Karne Sharma, Sam Billings

RCB In: AB de Villiers, Umesh Yadav Out: Heinrich Klaasen, Mohammed Siraj

Put in to bat first, RCB lost Kohli early in a brilliantly set up scenario by Dheepak Chahar, As he kept bowling in the off stump line. In the 3rd ball of the third over, Kohli was dismissed for 9 off 8 with 2 fours, As Dhoni completed a tumbling catch.

AB Devilliers and Akshadeep Nath tried to stitch partnerships with Parthiv Patel, Yet, Faf and Jadeja combined to dismiss both the batsmen for 25(19) 4x3 6x1 and 24(20) 4x1 6x1 respectively, In the 7th and the 12th overs of the match.

Parthiv Patel who was anchoring the innings with his 53, Got out to Bravo as he slapped a shortish delivery to Watson at covers ring. Patel fell in the 16th over after hitting 2 fours and four sixes
Marcus Stoinis's 13 ball 14 was put to an end by a brilliant effort by Faf to throw the ball to the field of play while holding on to his balance at the fence and eventually pushing the ball to Shorey who was stationed at long on. Imran Tahir took this wicket.

Pawan Negi was the next to fall, As he scooped a ball that bounced. Rayudu took the catch off the bowling of Chahar. Negi's contribution was 5 of 6. It was Moeen Ali's blitz, A 15 ball 26 with five boundaries, That took RCB's total to 161/7(20). At the end of 15 overs, They were 118/3. Moeen Ali fell as Bravo's second wicket and the 7th wicket of RCB, In the penultimate ball of the match.

CSK's start though, Was an absolute shocker, As Dale Steyn dismissed Watson for 5 and Raina for a duck, Off consecutive balls in the very first over, With an away swinger that Watson edged to Stoinis at first slip and a perfect yorker that completely deceived Raina.
The innings never really took off, As Faf too perished by top-edging a pull shot, That gave his wicket to Umesh Yadav. ABD avoided a collision with Nath and completed the catch.

Kedhar Jadhav's dismissal too came with the same combo of ABD (This time ABD didn't need to move an inch from Mid -Off ) and Umesh, As a poor stroke sent Jadhav back to the pavilion for 9(9)
CSK were 28/4 in 5.5 overs! A very familiar situation to the team in this season.

There was a brief stand between Rayudu and Dhoni! Rayudu survived a stumping appeal in the 12th over, Off Chahal's bowling, But got out bowled, by the same bowler in the 14th over. Rayudus 29 off 29 had 2 fours and 1 six.CSK were 83/5 at that juncture of 13.1 overs.

Jadeja's innings didn't last long either, as a mix up saw both batsmen at the striker's end and Navdeep Saini calmly completed the formalities to run out Jadeja for 11(12)

When there were 36 runs needed off the last 12 balls, Dhoni didn't take runs in 3 deliveries in Navdeep Saini's 19th over. A six off a no-ball and Bravo's wicket off the last ball of the over, Were major highlights. Keeper's catch sent Bravo back.

26 runs were needed off the final over. MS Dhoni did the following, While Shardul Thakur was at the other end without a score. 4 6 6 2 6

Two to win, One to tie was the situation When Parthiv Patel sent back shardul off with a direct hit at the keeper's end. A slower cutter by Umesh Yadav, Saved him and RCB.

Although in a losing cause, MS Dhoni crossed his personal best IPL score to notch up 84(48) 5x4 7x6.

Parthiv Patel got the man of the match award.

Chennai Super Kings will return home to face Sunrisers on Tuesday night.

-Kumaran Kumanan

Pic Courtesy: IPLT20 BCCI