Bengaluru go top of the IPL after epic two-run win over Chennai

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Fast bowler Yash Dayal held his nerve to give table-topping Royal Challengers Bengaluru a sensational two-run win over Chennai Super Kings in a last-ball Indian Premier League thriller on Saturday.

Chennai, already eliminated from playoffs contention, needed 15 off the last over to prevent Bengaluru from notching its eighth win and topping the table.

Dayal faced Ravindra Jadeja, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and impact player Shivam Dube and used full tosses and yorkers to dismiss Dhoni off the third ball and concede three singles off the last three balls.

Chennai was stranded on 211-5 after nearly chasing down Bengaluru’s 213-5.

“I felt I should have converted a couple of more shots, and eased the pressure, so I will take the blame for it,” Dhoni said.

The 17-year-old opener Ayush Mhatre kept Chennai in the hunt with a scintillating 94 off 48 balls, supported by Jadeja’s unbeaten 77.

Mhatre and Jadeja stitched a rollicking 114-run partnership off 64 balls. Both batters were dropped in Dayal’s second spell.

South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who replaced an injured Josh Hazlewood, the IPL's second leading wickt-taker, brought Bengaluru back in the game with two wickets in two balls in the 17th over.

Ngidi deceived Mhatre with a slower ball and had him caught at midwicket, and then Dewald Brevis was out leg before. But replays suggested the ball would have missed leg stump.

Down to the last over, Dube swung the game back in Chennai’s favor when he belted a six off a waist-high no-ball. But Dayal bowled three perfect yorkers to Dube and Jadeja for Bengaluru to snatch victory.

“He (Dayal) is the main bowler of our team, a death-overs specialist,” Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar said. “It was a clear-cut message to give him the last over. Last year as well, he did the same thing for the team and he did it again (tonight).”

After half-centuries by Bengaluru openers Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell, they slumped to 159-5 going into the 19th over.

But Romario Shepherd smacked 53 off 14 balls, tied for the second fastest half-century in IPL history, to give Bengaluru a total it could defend.

Kohli, who hit his fourth successive half-century to lead the run-scorers' list, and Bethell grafted a 97-run opening stand but then Chennai spinners Noor Ahmad (1-26) and Jadeja (0-26) squeezed the run-rate.

Chennai looked to contain Bengaluru until Shepherd shredded Khaleel Ahmed in the 19th over and Matheesha Pathirana in the 20th.

Shepherd struck four sixes and two boundaries in Ahmed’s over, which went for 33 runs. The left-arm fast bowler finished with an expensive 0-65 off his three overs.

Shepherd then hit Pathirana for two fours and raised his electrifying half-century by lofting the Sri Lankan fast bowler for successive sixes off the last two balls.

“Shepherd in the death overs was excellent," Dhoni said. “Whatever we were bowling, he was able to hit it for maximum runs. We need to practice more yorkers.”

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Bethell, left, and batting partner Virat Kohli run between the wickets to score during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Bethell plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Chennai Super Kings' Matheesha Pathirana, center, celebrates with teammates the dismissal of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's captain Rajat Patidar during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Lungi Ngidi, center, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Sam Curran during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Chennai Super Kings Ayush Mhatre, left, and batting partner Ravindra Jadeja run between the wickets to score during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Chennai Super Kings' Ravindra Jadeja plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Chennai Super Kings' Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Lungi Ngidi celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings Dewald Brevis during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Chennai Super Kings' Ayush Mhatre plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Romario Shepherd bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Romario Shepherd plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Yash Dayal, center, celebrates with teammates after their win in the Indian Premier League cricket match against Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)