In a thrilling encounter, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) emerged victorious over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by four wickets in the Eliminator match of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This remarkable win not only propelled RR into Qualifier 2 but also set the stage for an exciting clash with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The match commenced with RR winning the toss and electing to field, a decision that soon paid dividends. The RCB innings initially showed promise as several batsmen got decent starts, but none could convert those into substantial scores, thanks to timely interventions by the RR bowlers that halted their momentum.
Trent Boult set the tone early on with a splendid spell with the new ball, conceding a mere six runs in his three overs and claiming the pivotal wicket of RCB’s skipper, Faf du Plessis, for 17. At the other end, Sandeep Sharma was slightly more expensive, conceding 12 runs in his second over, while Avesh Khan’s fourth-over introduction saw him greeted with a pull shot for six by Virat Kohli. However, Boult struck again in the fifth over, dismissing du Plessis with a well-executed diving catch by Rovman Powell.
RCB ended the powerplay at 50 for one, with Cameron Green coming in at number three, ahead of Rajat Patidar. The introduction of Yuzvendra Chahal in the eighth over brought a crucial breakthrough for RR as Kohli, looking to up the scoring rate, holed out to mid-wicket for 33. This wicket marked the beginning of a see-saw battle.
In the middle overs, while Green took on Chahal, Patidar took his time to settle in. Simultaneously, R Ashwin bowled an economical spell, putting a squeeze on the run rate from one end. This building pressure led to the RCB batsmen taking unnecessary risks. Patidar was given a lifeline when he was dropped at long-on, but Green couldn’t capitalize on his start and was caught at cover off Powell for 27 in the 13th over. Adding to RCB’s woes, Glenn Maxwell was dismissed the next ball, leaving RCB reeling at 97 for four in 13 overs.
Patidar tried to shift gears with two sixes but was soon dismissed by Avesh Khan for 34 in the 15th over.
. Dinesh Karthik stepped in and survived a close leg-before call, reversed by the third-umpire. Mahipal Lomror’s aggressive knock of 32 from 17 balls ensured RCB reached a fighting total of 172, with Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma adding crucial runs in the final over.
The RR run chase began with caution, but Yashaswi Jaiswal’s aggressive batting in the third over broke the shackles, scoring four boundaries off Yash Dayal, albeit with some luck as one chance was dropped at first slip. The opening pair added 46 runs before Lockie Ferguson dismissed Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 20 in the fifth over with a brilliant slower ball.
Sanju Samson and Jaiswal maintained the required rate, with Jaiswal approaching his half-century before attempting a risky scoop shot off Green, which resulted in a faint edge to the wicketkeeper. Samson followed soon after, stumped off a wide delivery from Karn Sharma for 17, leaving RR in a precarious situation.
Riyan Parag then took charge of the chase, displaying calmness despite Dhruv Jurel’s brilliant run-out by Kohli. Parag and Shimron Hetmyer, the Impact Player, began a calculated assault on the RCB bowlers.
With five overs remaining, RR needed 48 runs. Hetmyer started with a six over long-on off Green, while Parag lofted a six over cover and hit a four through third-man, easing the required run rate. Hetmyer’s experience shone through as he soaked up the pressure. Although Siraj managed to dismiss both Parag (36 off 26) and Hetmyer (26 off 14 balls), the target was within reach.
Rovman Powell ensured there were no further hiccups, finishing the match in style with two fours and a six in the penultimate over. RR’s breathtaking chase saw them through to the next stage, setting up an enticing face-off against KKR in Chennai.
With this well-rounded performance, RR have truly announced themselves as strong contenders in the race for the IPL 2024 title.
