In IPL 2025 Match 52, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 2 runs, easily defending 213/5 in what turned out to be an entertaining match, with CSK scoring 211/5. CSK was unable to cross RCB's target. RCB held off CSK thanks to their explosive batting and smart bowling. Below are the main reasons CSK came up short in the match.

CSK's chase started well with Ayush Mhatre (94 runs off 48) and Ravindra Jadeja (77 runs off 45) showing strong intent; however, the run rate got behind the 214-run target. RCB seems to have good bowling plans with their bowlers applying pressure and needing to step up for their team when it was most needed, particularly Krunal Pandya (1/24) and Yash Dayal (1/41), which help CSK slow down their scoring rate, with Pandya having dispatched a key batter in the 17th over. MS Dhoni did his best to finish the potentially winning runs, hitting a late 12 runs off 8 balls, but he could only manage abysmal shots, leaving too much to the tail. CSK's death bowling also failed, giving up more than 70 runs in the last five overs of the innings, with Romario Shepherd's two-ball blitz of an unbeaten 53 runs off 14 balls hurting CSK with extra runs! CSK bowler Pathirana had 3/36, but CSK missed yorkers and using their variations in particular in the last, which allowed RCB to set the formidable target amount that CSK ultimately came so close to, however, just missed out on in their finishing stage.

Romario Shepherd’s Game-Changing Death Overs

RCB posted a tough score to chase of 213/5 largely due to Romario Shepherd’s 53* off 14 balls, a remarkable clearing of the boundary late on. Shepherd’s innings, in conjunction with rapid scoring from other batsmen, saw RCB score over 70 runs in the final 5 overs, which was remarked as the difference in turning a good score into a better score during the death overs. CSK’s bowlers did not have answers in the death overs, and Shepherd took full advantage of CSK's bowlers' inability to execute as planned while under pressure. 

Also Read: IPL 2025, Match 52: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Full Match Highlights

Bowling Ineffectively In The Death Overs

To quote CSK Captain MS Dhoni, "The final overs were expensive." CSK's bowling plans fell apart quite easily, and execution of yorkers and such went missing on the day, leaving only Matheesha Pathirana (3/36) a positive. Sam Curran (1/34) and Noor Ahmad (1/26) were expensive when CSK were looking for an excellent close to the innings. This was more so when RCB was able to finish with exactly what CSK did not want, while CSK was looking to keep RCB from setting a supernova target for the 2nd inning. 

Lack of Finishing Touch in the Chase

In chasing 214, CSK managed to fall short with their 211/5 final after an extraordinary innings of 94 by Ayush Mhatre off 48 and 77 by Ravindra Jadeja off 45. Notably, MS Dhoni entered the crease quite late and could not convert on some key shots, which he acknowledged was crucial. The absence of a finishing touch to round out a chase, however good it was, did not carry forth, with RCB’s Krunal Pandya (1/24) and Yash Dayal (1/41) holding their nerve in the tense final overs.