Ayush Mhatre’s 94 in vain as Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged out Chennai Super Kings by a narrow margin of two runs in their IPL encounter on Saturday.

New Delhi: Ayush Mhatre’s 94 and an unbeaten 77 from Ravindra Jadeja weren’t enough, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged out Chennai Super Kings by a narrow margin of two runs in their IPL encounter on Saturday.

After Royal Challengers Bengaluru racked up a formidable 213/5, thanks to contrasting half-centuries from Virat Kohli (62 off 33), Jacob Bethell (55 off 33), and a whirlwind 53* off 14 balls by Romario Shepherd — tied for the second-fastest fifty in IPL history — Chennai Super Kings were left with a stiff chase.

Remarkably, they came within touching distance, powered by a stunning knock from 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, who hammered 94 off 48 deliveries (9 fours, 5 sixes), before their innings closed at 211/5.

Mhatre found solid support from the experienced Ravindra Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 77 from 45 balls. Together, they stitched a crucial 114-run partnership for the third wicket, keeping CSK in the hunt.

The youngster from Mumbai made an early statement by taking seasoned seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 26 runs during the Powerplay and sustained that aggressive tempo throughout his stay at the crease.

With this narrow victory, RCB climbed to the top of the IPL standings, now sitting on 16 points from 11 games.

Mhatre showcased the batting intelligence and technical skills honed over countless hours at Mumbai’s historic Oval Maidan, taking apart a depleted RCB attack that missed their injured pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood.

His selection had initially sparked debate, with many questioning the decision to bring him in as Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury replacement ahead of players like Urvil Patel and Salman Nizar.

However, both CSK captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming saw something special during pre-tournament practice sessions and backed him — a decision that paid off handsomely tonight.

Jadeja, the seasoned CSK all-rounder with grey streaks in his hair, who survived chances on 57 and 69, deserves equal praise for mentoring the teenager during a high-pressure chase.

Eventually, fatigue may have caught up with Mhatre, whose ambitious shot against Lungi Ngidi resulted in a straightforward catch to Krunal Pandya at long-on, bringing an end to a memorable innings.

At that point, CSK were 172/2 in 16.2 overs, needing 42 more to win.

Ngidi then struck again, sending Dewald Brevis back for a duck and tilting momentum toward RCB. With 15 required off the final over, Yash Dayal delivered under pressure.

He removed Dhoni early in the over, leaving CSK with 13 needed from the last three balls, then restricted them to just a single off the final delivery as Shivam Dube failed to clear the field with a full-length ball.

Earlier, Kohli and Bethell gave RCB a flying start with fluent fifties and a 97-run opening partnership in just under 10 overs.

Kohli punished Khaleel Ahmed with a fierce pull for six followed by a stylish flick for another maximum. Bethell, meanwhile, cracked three back-to-back boundaries off Ahmed in the first over, with a mix of cuts and drives, giving RCB immediate momentum.

Bethell marked his maiden IPL half-century with a reverse scoop for four off Jadeja, while Kohli reached his fifty shortly after with a clean drive through covers.

Just as their stand was gaining steam, Pathirana (3/36) broke the rhythm, inducing a miscue from Bethell that was safely taken by Brevis. Soon after, Kohli fell to a slower one from Sam Curran while attempting a ramp, misjudging the variation.

RCB stood at 121/2 in the 12th over.

Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal couldn’t accelerate effectively, managing just 37 runs between overs 12 and 18.

However, Shepherd changed the game in a flash, targeting Khaleel Ahmed for a brutal 33-run over — including four maximums and two fours. He and Tim David added 50 runs for the sixth wicket in only 14 balls, with David contributing just 2 runs to that burst as RCB smashed 54 runs in the final two overs.