Live Cricket Score - RCB vs CSK, Match 35, IPL 2021

VICTORY FOR CSK

Raina found the boundaries against Hasaranga at a crucial juncture as CSK eased home with 11 balls to spare. That condemns RCB to yet another loss in UAE. A clearly disappointed Kohli puts it down to a mixture of shortcomings in both departments. They have an uphill task given the potential midtable clashes that loom now. CSK, meanwhile, will have no such worries and are back at the top of the points table, inching closer towards qualification.

WICKET: Another for Harshal!

CSK need just 24 now but Rayudu after two picking two boundaries hits Harshal straight to midwicket. This game isn't over just yet.

WICKET: Moeen falls to Harshal

A slower one does the trick. Ali closes the bat early and gets a leading edge to Kohli. CSK need just around run-a-ball at the moment. Are there further twists in this game?

Moeen, Rayudu keep the chase going

The duo put on a quick 47-run stand to turn the tide around after that double strike.

Twist? Faf falls to Maxwell

A first ball strike for Maxwell. He has Du Plessis paddling to short fine leg where Saini takes the catch. RCB have come roaring back into the game now.

WICKET: Ruturaj falls to Chahal

Ruturaj was looking to dominate the legspinners, he had managed to get on top of Hasaranga and had just reverse swept Chahal for a boundary as well. But the bowler sticks to his strengths and bowls another floater next up to have Ruturaj skewing an edge to point. Kohli moves in sharply and dives forward to take a brilliant low catch ending a 71-run opening stand.

CSK 59/0 after 6 overs

On a pitch that is still showing signs of gripping, RCB have been guilty of erring on the wrong side too often so far. CSK are now sitting pretty with both batsmen getting a good measure of the track.

CSK start confidently

Ruturaj Gaikwad gets CSK going with two sublime shots against Hasaranga. On a slowish track, both batsmen have had some balls gripping and kicking up awkwardly, but have stuck around to get to the bad balls so far.

Innings break: RCB restricted to 156

After a 111-run opening stand, RCB have faltered in the death overs. Dwayne Bravo - operating from round the wicket - picked up three including the big wickets of Kohli and Maxwell. And Thakur's double strike further dented RCB. They have stuttered at the finish, on a pitch that is aiding the cutters from the pacers. Will this be enough still?

Thakur strikes twice in two balls

He first has AB de Villiers mistiming a big hit and holing out to cover, and Padikkal follows soon after trying to ramp a cross-seam short ball and giving a catch to short third.

RCB 118/1 in 15 overs

CSK sense a hint of an opening to gather some dot balls here they've not allowed RCB to get too far ahead but with plenty of hitting power available still, RCB are still set for a big finish.

Bravo strikes

So captain Kohli gets to a half-century and falls. And while he failed to convert it into a century, he's set up RCB for a big score. Full and on the stumps, Kohli flicks it well but finds Jadeja at cow corner. CSK needed this wicket but RCB also have a licence to kick on from there. AB de Villiers in the new man in and RCB are 111 for 1.

50 for Kohli

The RCB captain gets a half-century as well. And he does it with a boundary and gets there off 37 balls.

50 for Padikkal

The left-hander gets to the landmark with a boundary and off 35 balls. RCB have got 100 on the board as well in the 12th over.

10 overs done

RCB are 90 for no loss at the halfway mark. Both Kohli and Padikkal are nearing their half-centuries but RCB will be well aware that they need a substantial score to put CSK under pressure especially with short boundaries. They have Tim David in the line-up, who has a strike rate of 154. AB de Villiers to come in as well. The last ten overs are going to be very interesting.

Fifty up for RCB inside the powerplay

The duo are still taking the initiative to go after the attack. The conditions at Sharjah have so far played to reputation, and RCB recognise the need to bat big. They're 55/0 in 6 overs.

RCB start briskly

Kohli has come out with the intent of going after the bowling straightaway. There hasn't been much swing on offer and both the openers have managed to pick early boundaries.

TOSS: CSK opt to chase

CSK are unchanged. The big-hitting Tim David from Singapore makes his debut for RCB. Navdeep Saini comes in as well.

Teams:

Royal Challengers Bangalore (Playing XI): Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat(w), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Tim David, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood

Sandstorm delays toss!

The captains are out in the middle but hazy visuals coming in as a sandstorm hits Sharjah. We're in for a delay in the toss as a result, probably by 10 minutes. And we have further update that the delay is extended. There's going to be an inspection as well at 7:25 PM IST.

The lead up

Virat Kohli's men have got a "wake up call" already, but now they come up against an in-form Chennai Super Kings are two points ahead of them. It'll be the first game of this season at Sharjah, a notoriously small ground. And in a side packed with plenty of big hitters, expect a run-fest on the cards. Will this be a bat vs bat contest? Stay tuned as we wait for the toss first and all the action soon after.