Tim David smashed eight sixes in a scorching unbeaten innings of 70 runs to propel Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second triumph of the IPL season, overpowering Chennai Super Kings by 43 runs on Sunday. David’s rapid-fire 25-ball onslaught guided the defending champions to a commanding total of 250-3, the highest score in this season’s competition, after being asked to bat first at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Bengaluru wrapped up Chennai’s innings at 207 in 19.4 overs, handing the five-time IPL champions their third consecutive defeat.
Bengaluru’s bowling attack, led by seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, troubled Chennai with three wickets. Jacob Duffy, Abhinandan Singh, and Krunal Pandya also contributed with two wickets each. However, it was Australia’s Tim David who dominated the game with his power-hitting display, including a massive six off England’s Jamie Overton that sailed over the stadium roof.
Reflecting on his exceptional performance, the player of the match, Tim David, remarked, “It doesn’t always happen that way. You know, skipper Rajat (Patidar) was absolutely smoking and I was taking balls off him. So to be able to get us to a score and obviously put a lot of pressure on the opposition, it was super fun.”
With this victory, Bengaluru leads the IPL table, surpassing Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings based on a superior run-rate. All four teams have won their first two matches of the season. Bengaluru, who clinched their maiden IPL title last year after 18 attempts, made a strong start as Virat Kohli’s quick 28-ball 28 set the tone for the batting unit to maintain momentum and accelerate.
Opening alongside Kohli, Phil Salt contributed 46 runs, while Devdutt Padikkal reached a half-century. The late assault by Rajat Patidar (48 not out) and Tim David propelled Bengaluru to a formidable total. David’s onslaught in the 19th over, where he smashed four sixes and a four off Jamie Overton, was particularly destructive.
Chennai struggled early in their chase, losing three key wickets, including skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad for a mere seven runs. Sarfaraz Khan’s brisk 50 off 25 balls, coupled with valuable contributions from Prashant Veer (43) and Jamie Overton (37), injected some momentum into Chennai’s innings.
Commenting on the match, Gaikwad praised the fighting spirit shown by his teammates but acknowledged the need for more contributions at the top of the order to chase down Bengaluru’s imposing total. In the earlier fixture on Sunday, Lucknow Super Giants secured their first win of the season by defeating Hyderabad by five wickets, with skipper Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 68 guiding the team to victory with one ball to spare.
