As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squared off against defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, rain was anticipated to play a role on Saturday evening. Both teams were vying for the final playoff spot in what promised to be a high-stakes encounter. Unfortunately, heavy showers interrupted the match early, after just three overs, halting the home team’s batting after being put in by CSK. Despite the brief play, the Bengaluru crowd was treated to an explosive start by Virat Kohli.

Captain Faf du Plessis struggled during the nine balls he faced before the rain delay, but Kohli’s aggressive intent was evident. RCB aimed to post a substantial total, targeting a score above 200, not only to secure a win but also to surpass CSK in the points table based on net run rate.

In the third over, Kohli faced CSK’s fast bowler Tushar Deshpande and launched a massive six off a length ball that angled into him. Kohli executed a powerful swivel and pull, sending the ball soaring 98 meters high to hit the top of the Chinnaswamy roof before it descended into the stands.

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This enormous six left Du Plessis visibly amazed, and even the legendary MS Dhoni could only watch as it sailed over the boundary. Two deliveries later, Virat Kohli struck another six off a shorter delivery, skillfully rolling his wrists to send it over square leg. Deshpande’s second over ended with 13 runs as RCB reached 31 runs for no loss in just 18 balls before the rain paused the match.

We knew the result the moment it hit the bat 💥#TATAIPL #RCBvCSK #IPLonJioCinema #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/dorospipre

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 18, 2024

RCB decided to stick with their existing lineup, while CSK made a single change, bringing in Mitchell Santner for Moeen Ali.

At the toss, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad commented, “The wicket looks good, conditions are overcast and we will look to make the most of the movement in the first 2-3 overs. It looks a bit damp, but we’ll go with great intent.”

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Du Plessis reflected on losing the toss, stating, “We would have fielded as well, but we put up a good score when we batted first last time. Losing the toss isn’t ideal, but we’ll take a lot of confidence from the last 5 games. The set-up is great, last match before the knockout stage, the scenario is nicely set up and we’re happy to play our last league game in front of our fans. Not thinking a lot, we’ll take it as it comes and do our best.”

Despite the rain interruption, the excitement in the stadium remained high, with fans eager to see how the rest of the match would unfold once play resumed.