CSK vs RCB: When a fixture became a feeling

All eyes were on the Chennai man at the centre of the RCB dressing room. Dinesh Karthik, straddling two worlds as broadcaster and late-career professional cricketer, broke into an evocative post-game speech.

 "We all know how proud our franchise is and how our fans are... and we gave them a treat to watch. Also, you've got to understand the gravity of this game..."

Karthik was talking at the close of a match that sliced through the haze of fours and sixes that was IPL 2024. The clock had ticked well past midnight but outside, on the Queens, Cubbon and MG Road roads embracing the M.

 Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, an impromptu, full-blown after-party raged. What began with banter and a celebration of a memorable turnaround of RCB's season slowly descended into public nuisance.

Well past midnight, a group of fans scaled one of the fire trucks near the stadium to hoist an RCB flag, at which point the local police swung in to quickly restore order.