Padikkal then took charge, compiling a fluent 50 off 29 balls to anchor the innings.However, the real carnage unfolded in the death overs. Following Padikkal’s dismissal, skipper Rajat Patidar joined forces with Tim David, and the duo unleashed a brutal assault. David was particularly destructive, smashing an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls, including eight towering sixes. Patidar played the perfect foil with a blistering 48* off 19 deliveries as RCB surged to a massive 250/3.In reply, CSK’s chase got off to a shaky start. Jacob Duffy struck early to remove both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Ayush Mhatre to leave them reeling. Despite the early setbacks, Sarfaraz Khan launched a stunning counterattack, racing to a 24-ball fifty and propelling CSK to 77 in the PowerPlay.Just when CSK looked to rebuild, Krunal Pandya turned the game on its head, dismissing Sarfaraz with his very first delivery and removing Kartik Sharma soon after. A spectacular one-handed catch by Jitesh Sharma to dismiss Shivam Dube further dented the chase.Though Prashant Veer (43) and Jamie Overton (37) offered resistance, the required rate kept climbing. Bhuvneshwar (3/41) and Krunal (2/36) ensured regular breakthroughs, while Suyash Sharma impressed with his control.CSK were eventually bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs, falling well short. With this emphatic win, RCB not only extend their winning streak but also reinforce their status as early title contenders. On the other hand, CSK now find themselves at the bottom of the table with three back-to-back defeats in the new season. Brief score: RCB 250/3 (20 overs) beat CSK 207 all out (19.4 overs) by 43 runs

Padikkal was involved in two key partnerships — a 56-run stand in 37 balls with Phil Salt (46) for the second wicket, and a 58-run stand in 21 balls with Patidar for the third wicket.These partnerships helped RCB recover after the early dismissal of Virat Kohli (28), who was dropped on seven by Shivam Dube off Khaleel Ahmed.Salt led the scoring early, hitting a six each off Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj, as RCB reached 51 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay.After Salt was caught off Dube, Padikkal increased the scoring rate. He hit Dube for two sixes and a four, taking the run rate past 10 per over. He reached his fifty with a single off Matt Henry but was later dismissed trying a reverse scoop against Jamie Overton.RCB scored 62 runs between overs 11 and 15, reaching 153 for 3. From there, Patidar and David added 99 runs in 36 balls for the fourth wicket, staying unbeaten.Patidar attacked Khaleel, hitting two sixes and a four in his final over. David took on Noor Ahmad in the 17th over, hitting three sixes.In the 19th over, David hit Overton for four sixes, including three in a row, as RCB added 97 runs in the last five overs.This total equals the joint second-highest runs scored by a team in overs 16-20 in an IPL innings, matching Delhi Capitals’ 97 against Gujarat Titans in 2024. RCB hold the record with 112 runs in this phase against Gujarat Lions in 2016.RCB innings progression:Overs 1-6: 51/1Overs 7-15: 102/2Overs 16-20: 97/0Highest aggregates in Overs 11-20 in an IPL innings172/2 – RCB vs GL, Bengaluru, 2016162/2 – PBKS vs CSK, Cuttack, 2014159/2 – SRH vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2024159/2 – RCB vs CSK, Bengaluru, 2026

Despite the situation, BCB president Aminul Islam said on Sunday that he will not step down. His remarks came as an investigation into alleged malpractice and abuse of power in last year’s election has submitted its report to the Bangladesh government.The board is facing pressure from the sports ministry, which has questioned the validity of the election, Bangladesh’s absence from the T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and allegations of political interference and favouritism within the BCB.The four directors who resigned on April 4 are Saniyan Taneem, Mehrab Alam, Faiazur Rahman and Manjurul Alam.“I will sit in my chair, what else can I do? I will be the last person to go,” Aminul told Jamuna TV on Saturday as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. “I have a very good, dedicated and honest team [in the BCB]. I want to serve Bangladesh cricket with this team.”“Nobody is indispensable. I was the only [Bangladeshi] to work in the ICC. I am not saying I am something huge, but I am sitting here because of my experience. I left everything to be here to support my country. If this is no longer mine, I will look at another path. But I want to support my country.”“Our team (board of directors) are good and they are dedicated and honest so I want to work with this team and serve Bangladesh cricket,” he said. “We could not work with freedom for one day as an external force was always disturbing us and still doing that. Our cricket is stagnant and I have said a lot of times that an external force is disturbing us and because of that the pace of our cricket has slowed down.”Aminul said he could not appear before the investigation committee due to a clash in schedules and instead submitted a written response.

“I did not face the committee. I was busy in two separate meetings, so the dates clashed with their schedule for me. I gave them my reply in writing,” he said. “I was not involved with anything [in the board elections]. I was involved in one area, which is now under investigation. I will not go into the details, but I can just say that the ad-hoc committee runs the district sports organisation, according to our constitution. It is clearly stated that the names [of councillors] should come from within the ad-hoc committee.”“When only three names came from within those ad-hoc committees, we were forced to write to them again. We said that please send the names from within your ad-hoc committee. This is the only thing I was involved in,” he added.Aminul was appointed BCB president in May 2025 after replacing Faruque Ahmed as the government-endorsed director on the board. He later contested the elections in October and was elected president.Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal had alleged malpractice and abuse of power against Aminul and withdrew from the election race.

With the innings in disarray, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy engineered a remarkable turnaround. The duo stitched together a crucial 116-run partnership for the fifth wicket, shifting the momentum dramatically. After a cautious phase, the pair switched gears, launching a counterattack that saw SRH plunder 79 runs between overs 11 and 15. Klaasen (62 off 41) and Reddy (56 off 33) peppered the boundary ropes with seven sixes and eight fours, lifting SRH to a competitive position. At one stage, a total in excess of 180 looked possible.LSG Pull Things Back at the DeathHowever, Lucknow Super Giants staged a strong comeback in the death overs. Manimaran Siddharth broke the dangerous stand by dismissing Reddy, while Avesh Khan struck twice in quick succession to remove Klaasen and Harsh Dubey. Prince Yadav then bowled a tight final over, conceding just 10 runs, as SRH were restricted to 156/9, a total that appeared slightly below par given their mid-innings surge.

Pant Anchors Chase in Final-Over Thriller

In reply, Lucknow Super Giants got off to a positive start, with Aiden Markram leading the early charge. The South African looked fluent in the powerplay, playing a range of crisp strokes as he raced to 45 before being dismissed by young spinner Shivang Kumar.Rishabh Pant then took charge of the chase, anchoring the innings with smart strike rotation and composure. Though not at his most fluent, the skipper ensured the scoreboard kept moving and held the innings together. Hyderabad found a way back into the contest when Shivang removed Markram, and a sharp run-out of Nicholas Pooran further tilted momentum in their favour. Harsh Dubey added to the pressure by dismissing Ayush Badoni, tightening the screws on Lucknow.Just when the chase began to wobble, Abdul Samad provided a timely boost with a quick cameo, striking a couple of crucial boundaries to ease the tension. However, SRH continued to fight, with Dubey striking again to remove Samad in the 18th over. A brilliant penultimate over from Harshal Patel, conceding just four runs, left Lucknow needing nine off the final over.Pant then stepped up under pressure. Two boundaries off the first two deliveries swung the equation dramatically before the captain calmly finished the game with another four, remaining unbeaten on a gritty half-century to guide Lucknow to a thrilling victory.Also See: RCB vs CSK Live Score

On Sunday, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad gave an update on Dhoni’s return after winning the toss and deciding to bowl first. He said, “MS (Dhoni) is getting back slowly, sometimes it takes time, if he’s ready to play, it’ll be soon.”Dhoni’s absence has naturally raised questions about whether the team is missing his presence on the field.CSK had earlier confirmed that Dhoni is sidelined due to a calf strain and is undergoing rehabilitation. “MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026. Get well soon, Thala,” the franchise stated.Despite not playing, head coach Stephen Fleming stressed that Dhoni continues to remain deeply involved with the team. “It is just a game without him. He is still heavily involved in the side, and his influence remains very strong,” Fleming had said before the Punjab Kings encounter.

When could MS Dhoni return for CSK?

If recovery progresses as expected, Dhoni could return when CSK face Kolkata Knight Riders on April 14 in Chennai. Should that timeline extend, the next possible comeback fixture would be against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18.CSK will also be hopeful of having their talisman back in time for the high-stakes encounter against Mumbai Indians on April 23, where his experience and leadership could prove crucial.

RCB vs CSK Playing XIs

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel AhmedRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy