In a gripping encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched a crucial victory by 27 runs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to secure their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs. The electrifying match, which had playoff implications riding heavily on it, was decided in the final over with CSK needing 17 runs to advance themselves when it was all said and done.
Yash Dayal, stepping up to bowl the final over, faced veteran MS Dhoni. Dayal’s first delivery was a full toss, which Dhoni dispatched with incredible power over the fine-leg boundary for a towering 110-meter six, signaling that the chase was on. However, Dayal quickly adapted, delivering a slower ball on the following delivery. Dhoni attempted another big shot, this time targeting square-leg, but could only manage to sky the ball to a fielder waiting patiently, leading to his dismissal.
With the weight now falling on Shardul Thakur, he failed to connect on the next delivery, swinging and missing at a short, slow ball. Thakur managed a scrambled single to the short third man on the next delivery, leaving the stage set for Ravindra Jadeja with 10 runs required from the last two balls. Yash Dayal, demonstrating nerves of steel in this pivotal moment, delivered two impeccable slower deliveries. Jadeja was unable to replicate his heroics from the 2023 final, and RCB secured their position in the playoffs in what was a memorable contest between two fierce IPL rivals.
The day began with intense anticipation as CSK won the toss and chose to field. In this unofficial knockout clash, any margin for error was nonexistent. The well-known Chinnaswamy surface, notorious for high scores, promised and indeed delivered runs aplenty. However, during the early phase of RCB’s innings, even a target of 200 appeared far from guaranteed.
RCB’s beginnings were marked by aggressive intent, with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis spearheading their charge in the initial overs. One standout moment featured Kohli artfully flicking a delivery from Tushar Deshpande over the mid-wicket boundary for six. The players had reached a score of 31 for three after three overs when an unexpected rain shower paused proceedings briefly. Much to the delight of cricket aficionados, the match resumed swiftly without any loss of overs.
Upon resumption, CSK introduced their spinners, exploiting a pitch that suddenly seemed more conducive to spin, gripping and turning with fervor. RCB managed just six runs in the first two overs after the restart, with the spinners routinely beating the batsmen. Relief finally came in the shape of a du Plessis boundary toward the end of the powerplay, struck solidly down the ground off Mahesh Theekshana’s bowling. Kohli found his momentum soon after, smashing Ravindra Jadeja for a six over mid-wicket in the ninth over and another maximum off Mitchell Santner in the tenth. However, Kohli fell soon after, holing out to Daryl Mitchell at long-on, caught brilliantly inside the field.
Faf du Plessis, undeterred, reached his half-century by accelerating the scoring, hitter two sixes and a boundary off Jadeja’s bowling furthering RCB’s hopes. Rajat Patidar then continued the momentum with an attacking response to Theekshana, driving a six early in his innings. Yet, CSK found fortune when du Plessis was run out for 54 after a strike by Patidar ricocheted from Santner’s hands onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end. With the scoreboard reading 113 for three in the 13th over, it was imperative that RCB upped the tempo in the closing overs.
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Cameron Green and Patidar launched an onslaught that fueled RCB to surpass the 200-mark, amassing a blistering partnership worth 71 runs off just 28 balls. Their formidable display ensured that just one of the final seven overs returned an economical tally under 13 runs. Bolstered by this blitz, Patidar scored 41 off 23 deliveries, while Green remained unbeaten on 38 from 17. Brief but significant contributions from Dinesh Karthik (14 off six) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off five) propelled RCB to a formidable total of 218 runs. This left CSK requiring a challenging target of 201 to qualify for the next stage.
CSK’s chase began with drama as Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught by Yash Dayal at short fine-leg off Glenn Maxwell’s first-ball delivery. Continuing the aggressive start from the outset of RCB’s innings, the initial stages proved to be a testing ground for the CSK lineup. Their struggles compounded when Dayal, in his fiery spell, claimed the wicket of Mitchell via an edge to mid-off, leaving CSK precariously placed at 19 for two.
The resurrection of the CSK innings commenced with Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane forming a pivotal partnership. Their strategic approach blended aggression with composure, accumulating 66 runs from 41 balls. Frequent boundaries ensured the asking rate was kept within reach as the pair methodically shared the run-scoring workload. The partnership grew to an imposing 85 for two by the ninth over when Lockie Ferguson was introduced into the bowling attack. Ferguson struck immediately as Rahane mistimed a hit high into the sky, only for du Plessis to pouch the catch at 33.
Amid mounting pressure, RCB capitalized on CSK’s boundary drought post Rahane’s dismissal. In the 12th over, Ravindra briefly alleviated the strain with a flurry of boundaries, reaching his half-century, yet the drama was far from over. A lifeline for Shivam Dube gone astray after being dropped by Mohammad Siraj in the 13th ultimately mattered little as a miscommunication saw Ravindra run-out mistakenly for 61. Dube’s struggle concluded when he was caught at long-on off Ferguson’s bowling in the following over.
The weight of expectancy increased as CSK attempted an aerial route in the 15th over with Santner’s ambitious stroke, only to have Faf du Plessis pluck a spectacular one-handed catch from the air.
With the playoffs slipping away, CSK required 71 from the last five overs when skipper MS Dhoni joined Jadeja at the crease. A strategic timeout revealed CSK’s dire situation with 63 still required from the remaining four overs. Jadeja wasted little time post-resumption, hammering the first delivery for a maximum down the ground. CSK proceeded to make notable advances towards a monumental total, claiming 28 runs across the two overs following the timeout, mainly through Jadeja’s audacious play against the RCB bowling attack that saw Siraj concede a six and a four.
Lockie Ferguson returned for the penultimate over with CSK seeking 35 runs, starting with a beamer unsettling the rhythm momentarily. Jadeja and Dhoni each found the boundary, with Jadeja concluding the over with another towering maximum hit over mid-wicket. This pulsating sequence set up a frenetic finish now required of only 17 runs from the final over.
The titanic clash culminated in an emotionally charged climax where RCB held their nerve and repelled CSK’s pursuit, thanking Dayal’s valor and tactical acumen in the concluding over. As the dust settled and celebration ensued, RCB emerged victorious, ensuring its progression to the coveted playoff phase, coronating a magnificent cricketing contest.