Thaindian News

Bangalore, May 22 (IANS) Chris Gayle continued his red-hot form to blast an unbeaten 75 off 50 balls as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets to finish at the top of the points table in the Indian Premier League here Sunday.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni pulled his team out of trouble with an entertaining 70 off 40 balls after the visitors were reduced to 22 for four and propelled them to 128/8.

Gayle too provided the fireworks, smashing six sixes and four fours. He was supported by Virat Kohli (31) and the two took the match away from CSK with an 80-run stand after AB de Villiers was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin in the first over. The home team reached the target with two overs to spare.

RCB will now take on the winner of the last league match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the first qualifier in Mumbai Tuesday.

After RCB skipper Daniel Vettori chose to to bowl, CSK lost Michael Hussey (4), Murali Vijay (6), Suresh Raina (4) and Subramaniam Badrinath (0) early. Speedsters Zaheer Khan and S. Aravind, who took two wickets each, did the damage. CSK were tottering at 22 for four in 5.4 overs.

Dhoni took charge of the innings even as wickets kept tumbling at the other end and Chennai were tottering at 79/6.

Dhoni went after the bowling, whacking Chris Gayle twice and Abhimanyu Mithan thrice for sixes and guided his team past 100 in 17.3 overs. In all, Dhoni hit six sixes and three fours.

Wriddhiman Saha (22) was the only other batsman to cross into double digits with one six and one four.

Vettori, who returned to the team after a knee injury, took two wickets.