A brilliant half-century from Virat Kohli (62), along with valuable contributions from Jacob Bethell (55), and a sensational late cameo by Romario Shepherd (53*), propelled RCB to a formidable target of 214. Kohli, in typical fashion, was at his aggressive best. The Indian captain smashed five sixes and as many fours, racing to 62 off just 33 balls. His innings was an excellent display of timing and power as he anchored the innings and laid the foundation for RCB’s explosive finish.

Bethell, the left-handed batter, played an equally impactful knock, scoring 55 off 33 balls. His innings was laced with eight boundaries and two sixes, providing solid support to Kohli as they dominated the CSK bowlers in the first half of the innings. The pair’s stand was pivotal in giving RCB the ideal platform for a big total.

As the innings neared its conclusion, it was the powerful hitting of Romario Shepherd that stole the show. Coming in at number six, the West Indian all-rounder unleashed a barrage of sixes, including a stunning six off the first ball of the penultimate over.

Shepherd smoked half a dozen sixes in total, amassing 33 runs off just the 19th over bowled by Khaleel Ahmed, and brought up his fifty in just 14 balls, joining the elite list of players with the second-fastest half-century in IPL history.

Despite a valiant effort by CSK’s Matheesha Pathirana, who finished with figures of 3/36, RCB’s power-packed performance in the latter stages of the innings was too much for the Super Kings to handle