Chahal won us the game: Virat

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli has credited leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s three-wicket burst for his side’s 10-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening IPL match. Chahal (3/18) removed in-form Englishman Jonny Bairstow (61) and Vijay Shankar off successive balls in the 16th over to tilt the game decisively in RCB’s favour. He had earlier removed Manish Pandey (34) in the 12th over. “It’s amazing to, be honest. Last year, we were on the other side of the result, 6-nil to start. It is nice to be 1-nil. We kept our composure,” Kohli said.

Royals beat CSK by 16 runs

Sharjah: Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 16 runs in the IPL today, riding on brilliant performances from Sanju Samson (74 off 32 balls), Steve Smith (69 off 47 balls) and Jofra Archer (27 off 8 balls, 1/26). Royals scored 216/7 with the help of 17 sixes hit by their batsmen. In reply, CSK could score only 200/6, with Faf du Plessis scoring 72 off 37 ball with the help of seven sixes.

Brief scores: RR 216/7 (Samson 74, Smith 69; Curran 3/33); CSK: 200/6 (du Plessis 72; Tewatia 3/37)

“Yuzi (Chahal) completely changed the game for us. Not many spinners got much out of the pitch, but tonight he showed that you can turn it if you have it in your wrists. He showed he can get purchase on any wicket. The way he came in and bowled attacking lines, he changed the game,” Kohli added.

Devdutt debut

Talking about his side’s batting, Kohli said, “We started really well. Devdutt was really good on debut, Finchy as well. AB batting in the last three overs helped us push it past 160.”

Asked if he thought 163 would be good enough, he said, “When you lose two in two, you have to consolidate. If not for two in two, you were looking at maybe 10-20 runs more.”

“In the past if we had 43 off 5, you’d see the shoulders dropping but the guys kept believing, kept attacking. Someone like Washy not bowling enough and a part-timer doing it are good signs. The fact that we didn’t let negativity slip into the bowling group was a great sign,” the captain said.

Player of the match Chahal said, “When I bowled my first over, I realised I need to bowl stump-to-stump line and backed myself. At one point they were batting well and I was trying to bowl loopy ones and wide of the reach which helped in building pressure.”

Bizarre game: Warner

Sunrisers captain David Warner rued his dismissal, run out at the non-striker’s end off a deflection by bowler Umesh Yadav. “I can’t remember the last time I was out like that. It was a bizarre game for us. There were four things that happened in this game that I have never seen before,” Warner said, without elaborating. — Agencies