New Delhi, March 31: Murali Vijay slammed a quick-fire 39-ball 78 to guide Chennai Super Kings to a 5-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their Indian Premier League encounter at Chepauk on Wednesday.
After a late wobble when Chennai lost three wickets in quick succession, Suresh Raina (44 not out) made sure that the hosts won the match with an over to spare in the end.
Raina hit four fours and a six in his 35-ball inning.
For Bangalore, Anil Kumble (1-16) and Dale Steyn (1-20) bowled superbly but failed to turn it into a favourable result.
Murali Vijay raced to his fifty in just 29 balls and hit six huge sixes and four boundaries in his 39-ball blitzkrieg before he was caught by Manish Pandey off Kevin Pietersen in the eleventh over.
Anil Kumble foxed Matthew Hayden (12) in the seventh over as Uthappa quickly stumped the big man to provide Bangalore an important breakthrough.
Chasing 162-run target, Murali Vijay slammed three sixes and a four in the third over bowled by Praveen Kumar to set the momentum of Chennai innings.
Earlier, Jacques Kallis slammed eighth IPL fifty to help Royal Challengers post 161/4 against Super Kings at Chepauk.
Playing their first match of the third season, Kevin Pietersen (23 not out) and Cameron White (21 not out) put on an unbeaten 44-run partnership towards the end to help Bangalore set a respectable 162-run target for Chennai.
After going smoothly, Kallis (52) and Virat Kohli (34) got out in the sixteenth over after Kallis has completed his eighth IPL fifty and they have put on a valuable 63-run partnership to lead the Royal Challengers run charge.
Kallis continued his amazing run in the league to score his fourth fifty of the season. Kallis took 41 balls to reach the landmark and hit seven fours.
Bangalore lost Robin Uthappa (21) and Manish Pandey (5) early against Super Kings.
Spinner Shadab Jakati dismissed dangerous looking Uthappa, who slammed two huge sixes and a four in his 13-ball blitzkrieg, in the seventh over to break the quick-fire 42 runs partnership between Uthappa and Kallis.
After a slow start, Pandey mistimed a Thilan Thushara delivery in the third over to give an easy catch to Chennai keeper MS Dhoni in the short fine-leg region.
Earlier, Bangalore skipper Anil Kumble won the toss and decided to bat against Super Kings.
–Agencies