Ball by ball - Dayal denies Dhoni and CSK again in tense final over

It's Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Yash Dayal has the ball. MS Dhoni is on strike. Ravindra Jadeja is at the other end. A 200-plus chase at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has come down to the final over. Sounds familiar? For a second season in a row, the same contest at the same ground produced the same, pulsating finish. And yet again, when all the nerves and dust settled, it was the left-arm quick Dayal who held his own.

Here's how Shashwat Kumar called it on ESPNcricinfo's ball-by-ball commentary:

Right. It has all come down to this. 15 runs needed off six balls. RCB give away 13 or less, and they go to the top of the table. CSK get 15, and their hoodoo of not chasing 180-plus scores will cease to exist. Dayal to bowl. Over the wicket.

19.1 Yash Dayal to Dhoni, 1 run
low full toss on middle and leg. Dhoni cannot get under this and scuffs it down the ground to long on. Throws his head back in disappointment soon after

19.2 Yash Dayal to Jadeja, 1 run
full toss on middle and leg and Jadeja cannot put it away. Drags it towards deep mid wicket and this over has begun with two singles off two balls

13 off 4. Pressure on CSK and Dhoni now

19.3 Yash Dayal to Dhoni, OUT
massive lbw shout, and the finger goes up! No MS Dhoni magic at the Chinnaswamy tonight! Low full toss slanting into leg stump. Dhoni has a massive swipe at it but does not get any bat on it. Gets rapped on the pads and the finger goes up. Dhoni has reviewed this but it could be more in hope than anything else. The impact is in line and Ball Tracking has the ball crashing into leg stump. A monumental moment in this game, and Dayal has outwitted Dhoni two years in a row at the Chinnaswamy!

13 off 3. Advantage RCB now. Shivam Dube is the new batter in. He is CSK's Impact Player, remember

19.4 Yash Dayal to Dube, (no ball) SIX runs
that is a high full toss and Dube smashes it out of sight! Borderline waist-high full toss outside off and Dube cannot believe what has been dished out. After scratching his eyes, he thumps it over deep mid wicket. No ball not given, and Dube has reviewed this. This could be touch-and-go! Dube's waist is measured at 1.11m, and Ball Tracking shows the ball to be passing him at 1.14m. That will be a No ball - oh dearie me!

6 off 3 now. With a Free hit to come

19.4 Yash Dayal to Dube, 1 run
full toss just outside off. Dube swings at it with all his might and scuffs it down the ground to long off. Just a single, and the onus shifts back onto Jadeja

All eyes on Jadeja now. 5 off 2. Dayal has held his nerve against this very opposition at this very venue in the past. Two more good balls, and he will have done so again

19.5 Yash Dayal to Jadeja, 1 run
zipped in very full on off. Jadeja looks to go downtown but can only find the inside edge and then the front pad. Rolls away harmlessly into the off side

Four needed off the last ball. This has been a proper thriller. Surely Dayal goes for the yorker again?

19.6 Yash Dayal to Dube, 1 run
Dayal wins it for RCB again! Up against the five-time champions, Dayal shows that he is a champion to be reckoned with too. Under extreme pressure, and under extreme duress, RCB pull a win out of the fire, and they are going absolutely bonkers. It was proper carnage at the Chinnaswamy and after 40 overs of high-octane cricket, RCB stand atop the team that has caused them so much pain in the past! Full toss just outside off. Dube clears his front leg and swings for the hills. Cannot get under it and cannot find the gap either. Drilled straight to long on and that will be just a single. Spare a thought for CSK. They came so close, but in the end, fell short. A truly remarkable game of cricket, and one that those at the ground will reminisce and rejoice in years to come!

Incredible is probably one of the most-used words to describe the IPL. But make no mistake, This was incredible. A game that ebbed, flowed, and then ebbed again and then flowed again. One moment, Shepherd was ripping CSK to shreds; the next moment, Mhatre was truly announcing himself on the grandest stage, with Jadeja showing off his wares as a No.4 batter.

But in the end, it all came down to three men - Dhoni, Jadeja and Dayal. All of them have been in this situation before. Dhoni and Jadeja more often than Dayal, and as recently as last year at this venue. And just like 2024, Dayal got the job done. There was a hiccup when he bowled a high full toss to Dube, but he soon recovered. And he recovered to deliver three knockout blows, despite Jadeja and Dube trying their best.