RCB vs CSK: In a dramatic twist to the 2025 IPL season, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have failed to qualify for the playoffs — a rare occurrence for one of the most established franchises in league history.
Long known for their consistency and dominance — especially over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) — CSK’s campaign this year has been disappointing. They now sit at the bottom of the points table and are officially out of the playoff race.
The latest blow came in a nail-biting clash against RCB in today’s match. CSK won the toss and elected to field first. RCB got off to a flying start with a 97-run opening stand between Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell. However, the middle-order collapse saw RCB lose five wickets for just over 50 runs, and the innings seemed destined to end around 170.
But Romario Shepherd had other plans. In a fiery finish, he smashed 53 runs off just 14 balls — including 4 boundaries and 6 sixes — to power RCB to a formidable total of 213.
In response, CSK started well but faltered in the final stretch. Despite a valiant effort from Ravindra Jadeja, Chennai couldn’t maintain the momentum. Even MS Dhoni, hailed as the greatest finisher in IPL history, couldn’t take the game to the wire. RCB’s bowlers held their nerve in the final three overs, despite some lapses in the field.
Ultimately, RCB clinched the match by just 2 runs, marking their seventh consecutive win. With this victory, they have now won 8 out of 11 matches and have become the first team to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs.
The defeat leaves CSK and their fans heartbroken, marking the end of an era — at least for this season.
Edited by Shubham Singh
