11.47 pm: No more De Villiers, Kohli or Gayle. The RCB fun-train has come to a halt in Ranchi. Just did not have enough runs on the board, and even if CSK made heavy weather of the chase, don't think the result was ever in doubt.
That is it from me, it is goodbye and catch you for the IPL 2015 final between MI and CSK. Should be an awesome one on Sunday.
11.45 pm: Virat Kohli: "I thought we were 15-20 runs short. They squeezed us throughout the innings. CSK were too good with the ball when we batted. I always think low totals are very trick, especially on this slow and low wicket. But against top-quality sides like CSK we missed a few chances. Could have been a different result had we held on to our chances. I don't think dew played that much of a role. I thought the wicket played the same throughout.
"I'm really proud of the way we fought it out. The kind of cricket we have played throughout the season has been great. The team that was better on the day with good composure have gone through to the final against the Mumbai Indians."
11.41 pm: It only delays the inevitable, though as Ashwin finds the gap on the onside and takes the single needed for the victory to knock RCB out and take CSK to the IPL 2015 final against Mumbai Indians. CSK win by three wickets, finishing on 140/7 in 19.5 overs.
11.39 pm: A two starts the final over from Harshal Patel. And then a dot brings the pressure back, but Dhoni thumps a two again to wide long-off and just like that only a single is needed from the remaining three balls. Dhoni will do it won't he, nope not quite as Wicket, Dhoni (26, 29b, 1x4) gone! Dhoni looksto loft the ball over the onside as every single fielder is brought in and all he manages is an outside edge through to Karthik.
11.31 pm: Starc to bowl the penultimate over. And Dhoni greets him with a four, finding the long-on boundary, knowing the fielder was up in the circle. The four eases the pressure completely and it is almost done now. Wicket, Negi (12, 6b, 1x6) gone! A direct hit from Sarfaraz and a quick single turns into a run out. Negi has done what was needed, though. CSK 135/6 in 18.5 overs, 5 in 7 balls.
Wicket, Bravo gone! We have seen this so many times from Starc, a yorker that just tails-away and Bravo is made to look like a tail-ender. CSK 135/7 in 19 overs, 5 in 6 balls.
11.27 pm: Is the pressure on, nope, not if you are Negi. All that pressure is eased by Negi with a brilliant six over long-on, creating humongous power with that bat speed and flying the ball into the crowd. The six early in the over means, singles will do, and singles are done. CSK 127/4 in 18 overs, 13 in 12 balls.
11.21 pm: The over from Wiese gets spoiled a little courtesy three byes. CSK 113/4 in 17 overs, 27 from 18 balls.
11.18 pm: Hussey, who will turn 40 in five days, becomes the oldest CSK player to hit a half-century, beating his compatriot the great Matthew Hayden's record. After that big over of 15 runs, Wicket, Hussey (56, 46b, 3x4, 2x6) gone! Ah the brilliant innings comes to an end. A soft dismissal it is as well. Hussey fails to connect a length ball on leg-stump and just loops the ball to Harshal Patel at short-fine. CSK 108/4 in 16.3 overs, 32 in 21 balls. Pawan Negi in ahead of Jadeja and Bravo.
11.15 pm: Beautiful shot from Hussey to start the Chahal over. Comes down the wicket and drives the ball straight back for a big six. A much-needed one for CSK as well. The rest of the over, after the six in the first ball, is about the singles, or so RCB would have hoped. Hussey brings up his half-century off 43 balls withapower hit over long-on for another six. CSK 106/3 in 16 overs. 34 in 24 balls.
11.10 pm: No chances taken, as Dhoni and Hussey take six singles. CSK 91/3 in 15 overs, 49 in 30 balls, nearly 10 runs an over.
11.10 pm: No chances taken, as Dhoni and Hussey take six singles. CSK 91/3 in 15 overs, 49 in 30 balls, nearly 10 runs an over.
11.06 pm: Starc now.
11.05 pm: Chahal returns. Watchful from Dhoni, as the CSK captain plays three dot balls, before taking a single to long-off. Then a leading edge from Hussey falls safely for another single, before Dhoni takes another one. CSK 85/3 in 14 overs, 55 in 36 balls.
10.59 pm: Two twos in three balls from Hussey gets the over from Aravind going, and then a length ball on leg-stumps is helped away to fine-leg for a boundary. Risk-free ten runs from the over, CSK 82/3 in 13 overs. 58 required from 42 balls. Strategic timeout thingy again.
10.54 pm: Chahal is taken off, after that double-wicket over. Wiese now. Hussey eases the pressure a little bit with a typically-Hussey cover drive for four. Eight off the over, CSK 72/3 in 12 overs. 68 off 48 balls.
10.49 pm: Can the old guard – Hussey and Dhoni – take CSK home? Dhoni is calmer than calm itself with his first three balls, all of which are dots. He then takes a single down to third man to get off the mark, and the crowd cheer like he has just hit a six. CSK 65/3 in 11 overs. 76 required in 54 balls.
10.45 pm: Nervy are CSK now as Hussey gets beaten by Chahal. CSK 62/3 in 10 overs. 78 from 60 balls.
10.43 pm: Wicket, Raina (0, 2b) gone! Oh my, what a daft shot that is. Raina has been having a poor IPL season, but this shot is just plain stupid. Having just lost a wicket, Raina tries to take on the leg-spinner Chahal, but only manages to hole out in the deep at long-off. CSK 61/3 in 9.4 overs. MS Dhoni walks in to loud cheers from his home crowd.
10.40 pm: Wicket, Du Plessis (21, 22b, 2x4) gone! Just when Hussey and Du Plessis were getting a really good partnership going and taking CSK ashore, Chahal strikes, castling the right-hander around his legs after missing a paddle sweep attempt. CSK 61/2 in 9.2 overs.
10.36 pm: Wiese continues and so do the singles. No sign of a boundary for a while, but plenty of singles. RCB are creating plenty of chances but just not taking them. De Villiers has a chance to run Hussey out, but cannot hit the stumps direct. And just like that, Du Plessis gets a boundary as well, via the ramp shot straight back over the wicketkeeper. Finishes the over with another four, this time in the opposite direction. CSK 58/1 in 9 overs. Strategic timeout.
10.32 pm: RCB's only spinner in Yuzvendra Chahal now. A yes-no situation nearly creates a run out, but after that it is plenty of singles again and a two. CSK 47/1 in 8 overs.
10.28 pm: Karthik drops Hussey. Second ball from David Wiese, Hussey gets a little tickle as he looks to run it down to third man, and Karthik, standing up, cannot hold on. Five singles and a two wides, one a harsh one, from the Wiese over, CSK 41/1 in 7 overs.
10.21 pm: Seven straight dot balls for Du Plessis and then he finally gets a few runs with a loft over mid-on. Was running away for a four, but Wiese does brilliantly to pull the ball back with a dive. Three runs nevertheless. CSK 34/1 in 6 overs.
10.18 pm: Harshal Patel, who has been extremely impressive for RCB of late, comes in. Starts with a slow ball and beats Hussey's bat, but follows that up with a short delivery, which Hussey dispatches to the fine-leg boundary. Du Plessis has not quite recovered from that life, struggling to find the singles and rotate the strike. Three dot balls to finish, CSK 28/1 in 5 overs.
10.13 pm: Aravind should have been on a hat-trick, as the new man in De Plessis gets an outside edge, but Gayle cannot hold onto the catch at first slip. Might have been a little covered by the wicketkeeper Karthik staying up, but should have been taken. This is a crazy over, as the next ball could have seen Hussey walking back. Similar to the Smith shot, Hussey picks a short delivery from outside off and nearly finds Harshal Patel in the deep, with the ball falling just short. CSK 23/1 in 4 overs.
10.08 pm: Wicket, Smith (17, 12b, 3x4) gone! Shortball from Aravind and Smith pulls it straight down the throat of Starc at deep square-leg. Could have hit it anywhere, but found the man in the outfield. CSK 21/1 in 3.1 overs.
10.07 pm: Full and widish from Starc first ball and Smith throws his hands at it and gets it over the infield for a four. It looks like the back problem for Starc hasn't gone away, with the fast bowler feeling it again. Clearly not at a 100 percent is the best limited-overs fast bowler in the world. No luck for Starc and RCB as well, as Smith under-edges one, while going for a pull shot, between Karthik and Gayle for a four. CSK 21/0 in 3 overs.
10.02 pm: Sreenath Aravind from the other end. Smith again gets off strike early with a single to the covers. No-risk approach from the Smith and Hussey, and as I write that, Smith whips one past the right of mid-off for a boundary, the first of the innings. CSK 10/0 in 2 overs.
9.58 pm: Plenty of movement for Starc first up. Cuts Smith in half with the first delivery and then beats Hussey's outside edge, after Smith had taken a single, off a ball that shapes away from the left-hander. Solid first over from Starc, even if the desired wicket did not come. CSK 3/0 in 1 over.
9.54 pm: The players are back, and it is go time for the second innings. Dwayne Smith and Michael Hussey to open the innings, Mitchell Starc to bowl to Smith. RCB need a special spell from Starc here to open up the game.
9.45 pm: A solid bowling effort from CSK, as the RCB just could not recover from losing both Kohli and De Villiers in the same over off Nehra. Gayle threatened to weave his brutal magic again, but it was not to be. Still, 140 will not be a foregone conclusion of a chase, CSK will need to bat well. Should be an intriguing next hour-and-a-half.
9.43 pm: R Ashwin: "You've got to take the pace off the ball. It is really slow so you have to bowl really slow to spin. One side of the ground is bone dry and the other is wet, so it is really strange. 140 on the board, wicket is slightly tricky, it is a wicket where you have to apply and bat."
9.41 pm: Final ball of the innings from Bravo is a dot, and RCB finish their 20 overs on 139/8.
9.39 pm: Wicket, Sarfaraz (31, 21b, 4x4) gone! Mitchell Starc gets Sarfaraz the strike with a single, but the little guy cannot get those crucial boundaries in the final couple of balls. Misreads a slower ball from Bravo and hits it straight to Negi in the covers. RCB 139/8 in 19.5 overs.
9.37 pm: A single from Harshal gets Sarfaraz back on strike, and the teenager gets another boundary, clubbing one over extra cover and beating Raina at long-on. Wicket, Harshal (2, 2b) gone, run out. Harshal tries to run a single on a wide, is sent back and Dhoni is dead-eye-MS from behind the stumps.
9.33 pm: Sarfaraz is playing like a batsman with ten years of experience here. Under pressure, gets a boundary to ensure the Mohit over is not a complete loss. Nice help to the vacant area between midwicket and long-on. RCB 131/6 in 19 overs.
9.29 pm: Wicket, Wiese (12, 7b, 1x6) gone! Bravo lost w wicket with the drop, but he makes sure he plays a part in Wiese's wicket after all taking a simple catch at long-on as the big South African mistimes a slog attempt off Mohit. RCB 125/6 in 18.2 overs.
9.28 pm: Bravo is back, and he starts by conceding just three singles in three balls. Bowls length and in the slot for Wiese fourth ball, however, and bang goes that blade guiding the ball over long-on for a big six.And then off the final ball, the unthinkable happens – Faf Du Plessis drops a catch again. Happened a few matches back, but didn't think it would happen again. Wiese goes for the ramp/paddle shot and gets a top edge- Du Plessis runs back, but cannot judge it properly and grasses the catch. RCB 124/5 in 18 overs.
9.22 pm: David Wiese is the man in, can't do much with Nehra, who finishes his spell with brilliant figures of 4-0-28-3. RCB 113/5 in 17 overs.
9.19 pm: RCB getting a move on definitely. Karthik welcomes Nehra back with a straight four, but then Wicket, Karthik (28, 26b, 4x4) gone! Just whenKarthik and RCB were looking in the groove, he gives his wicket away. Goes for another big shot off a low full toss, but this time it is wider and in the air and Mohit Sharma takes a simple one at long-on. RCB 107/5 in 16.2 overs.
9.15 pm: Jadeja also gets a bowl and Sarfaraz fancies him immediately. Gets a boundary via an inside out drive which skews to the point boundary and then thump goes a drive straight back for another four. Keeps the scoreboard moving along with two twos to the onside. Very intelligent batting from the 17-year-old. RCB 103/4 in 16 overs.
9.11 pm: With Gayle gone and the left-armer Negi comes in immediately. Sarfaraz Khan is busy right from the off, taking singles and twos. But it all depends on Karthik and his experience. Needs to play the right shits at the right time, easier said than done. RCB 90/4 in 15 overs.
9.08 pm: Karthik gets a four off the ball after Gayle's wicket with a lap to fine-leg. Good over in terms of runs for RCB, but Gayle's gone. RCB 86/4 in 14 overs.
9.06 pm: No Jadeja or Negi with Gayle at the crease, so Raina continues. It doesn't matter for the giant, however, as he uses that willow to great effect finally. First one, picks up over wide long-on for a six, and the next ball bang it goes to his favourite spot – straight back over the bowler's head. Pressure tells, and a wide follows from Raina as Dhoni packs the offside field and then Wicket, Gayle (41, 43b, 2x4, 3x6) gone! Outside off again, and Gayle goes for the big cross-batted heave, completely mistimes it and Raina runs back to take a nice catch off his own bowling. Phew says CSK, Dhoni and Raina. RCB 80/4 in 13.3 overs.
9 pm: The Purple Cap holder Dwayne Bravo is given the ball. Will Gayle take his fellow West Indian on? Nope, two dot balls to begin with and the big man takes a single. After 13 runs came off the last over, Bravo bowls a little gem, varying his pace wonderfully. RCB 67/3 in 13 overs. Strategic timeout.
8.54 pm: Raina darting in those off-breaks and Karthik decides it is time to go. Go he does as well, hitting consecutive boundaries, one through midwicket and the next over extra cover. A good over finally for RCB 65/3 in 12 overs.
8.50 pm: Another quiet over from Mohit passes by as the peerless Kumar Sangakkara talks on Skype. Boy, RCB could use Sanga right now couldn't they? RCB 52/3 in 11 overs.
8.46 pm: Dhoni's favourite extra spinner – Suresh Raina comes in. nothing given away, just four singles and a wide. RCB 46/1 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings.
8.39 pm: Runshard to come by here, as Mohit bowls another tidy one, just three off. RCB 41/3 in 9 overs. Strategic timeout thingy.
8.35 pm: Ashwin is done dana dan with ridiculous T20 figures of 4-0-13-1. RCB 38/3 in 8 overs.
8.32 pm: Wicket, Mandeep (4, 7b) gone! Oh dear, another one bites the dust. Mandeep looks for the sweep shot off the first ball of the final over from Ashwin, gets a toppish edge and there is old man Michael Hussey to take a brilliant catch diving down. RCB 36/3 in 7.1 overs.
8.31 pm: Nehra is not kept on for his final over, despite that brilliant previous one. Mohit Sharma now. Gayle has to be watchful for a few overs, knowing another wicket and this could snowball into a wicket train. Quiet over for five balls and then Mohit strays in line and Gayle clips one to the fine-leg boundary for a much-needed four. RCB 36/2 in 7 overs.
8.26 pm: Mandeep Singh walks in and he needs to put in a big partnership with Gayle. Runs very much at a premium, RCB 29/0 in 6 overs.
8.21 pm: Ooh, Gayle is a bit lucky a couple of balls after the wicket. Nehra gets the ball to jag back, and it hits Gayle's pads. Huge appeal, but the umpire shakes his head. Replays show the ball might have just crept above the stumps, while it might have hit him marginally outside off as well. Anotherbrilliant over for CSK, just two runs off it.
Wicket, AB de Villiers (1, 3b) gone! Oh my what an over from Nehra! A couple of balls before, the ball jagged back to Gayle, and this time Nehra gets the ball to come into the right-hander De Villiers. Raps him on the pads, and another huge appeal, and this time the umpire raises his finger. Might have been missing the legstump on first view. Will have to wait for the replays to make sure.
Replays show it was probably a good decision, even if the ball pitched 50-50 on legstump. Would have been understandable if it had been given not out, though. RCB25/2 in 5 overs.
8.17 pm: Wicket, Kohli (12, 9b, 1x4, 1x6) gone! Oh dear, a gift of a wicket this and Kohli cannot believe it. A ball on his hips, Kohli gleefully flicks it behind the wicket, but instead of flying for a four, the ball flies straight to Mohit Sharma at short fine. RCB 23/1 in 4.1 overs.
8.16 pm: Ashwin into his second over. The offspinner is always a different bowler when he gets an early wicket. Can he get one here, knock one of Gayle or Kohli over? Nope, no wicket, but plenty of turn and just two runs from the over. RCB 23/0 in 4 overs.
8.13 pm: Nehra continues. Kohli misses out on a boundary opportunity as he flicks a ball on the stumps straight to the man at midwicket. Three dot balls to start with and then Kohli punishes a short delivery to cow corner for a four. Next ball, dances down the track to Nehra and loft-drives beautifully for a straight six. RCB 21/0 in 3 overs.
8.08 pm: Spin as expected form Ashwin. Some turn with the new ball as well. Nice quiet little over for four balls, and then Gayle gets a boundary via a paddle sweep as he just evades Nehra at short fine. RCB 11/0 in 2 overs.
8.04 pm: No other runs other than that six. RCB 6/0 in 1 over.
8.01 pm: Second ball, Gayle says enough of that nonsense, gives the charge and a leading edge goes all the way to the backward point boundary for a six.
8 pm: First ball from Ashish Nehra to Gayle is one that just swings away from the left-hander. Gayle lets it go.
7.59 pm: The players are out. Gayle and Kohli are ready to smash a few!
7.37 pm: The teams: CSK: Dwayne Smith, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, MS Dhoni, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Pawan Negi, R Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, Ashish Nehra.
RCB: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Sarfaraz Khan, David Wiese, Mitchell Starc, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sreenath Aravind.
7.32 pm: CSK win the toss and will bowl first. Same sides for both CSK and RCB. "Worried about the dew, so I think it will be better to bat second," says Dhoni. "I would have batted first anyways, big game, so it is better to put the runs on the board," Kohli adds.
7.32 pm: Virat Kohli: "I am a bit more relaxed right now, pretty happy at this stage, especially after how we played the last game. It's always been a ground where I have enjoyed my cricket, I have scored a few runs here as well. The pitch looks dry."
7.31 pm: Ravi Shastri is screaming and he is talking to Dhoni. "Now it is the knockout stage, a lot at stake, at the same time it will be the small things that will matter the most. The pitch is quite dry, if there is dew, it will make it better. I think it will help the fast bowlers initially with the new ball, but it will be eventually good for the batsmen.
"It's good to have Hussey as a backup."
7.23 pm: Seven minutes before that toss is made and Ravi Shastri screams a little (Ok, a lot). Both teams will want to bat first is my guess, considering how the first two playoff games have gone.
6.56 pm: The long, long IPL season is almost at an end – two more games to go, and both of them should be in the "doesn't matter if you missed the entire season, these two should make it all up" zone.
First of those two matches remaining in IPL 2015 is the Qualifier 2 between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, with the winner meeting the Mumbai Indians in the final on Sunday.
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of CSK vs RCB from IBTimes India. If you do not have a TV near you, are stuck at work or stuck in traffic, do not worry, we are here to turn that frown upside down with all the updates you need as it happens.
CSK will go for a second bite at that white cherry after stumbling against MI in Qualifier 1, while RCB are looking as good as they have ever looked, with the ease with which they knocked out the Rajasthan Royals a case in point.
All those wins and losses will matter little come Friday night in Ranchi, however, with Dhoni hoping the massive support that he will get will transform into a victory for CSK.
CSK's hopes don't rest on Dhoni, however; it is the top order that needs to step up for the Super Kings.
RCB's top order, of course, is incomparable with Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers making it the most dynamic and exciting batting three in the IPL.
If one of those three fire, it could be enough for RCB to seal a place in another final.
How the bowling will fare will depend upon the pitch; if it aids the slower bowlers, it will be right up CSK's alley. A little pace and bounce, though, and Mitchell Starc and his band of improved fast bowlers will come into play.
Either way, it should be a cannot-miss-it game, and let's hope we get some pyrotechnics from both teams.
CSK vs RCB is not just on live blog here, you can also catch the match via live streaming online by geting all the options right HERE
