Ahmedabad witnessed a riveting contest as Rajasthan Royals (RR) emerged victorious over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with a four-wicket win in the high-stakes Eliminator match of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This decisive win at the Narendra Modi Stadium secures RR’s progression to Qualifier 2, where they are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The encounter began on an intriguing note as Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that paid off almost immediately. RCB’s innings was a story of missed opportunities, as several batsmen got promising starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores. Each time the momentum seemed to swing RCB’s way, RR’s disciplined bowling attack made timely breakthroughs to reel them back in.
Trent Boult, RR’s pace spearhead, set the tone with an impeccable spell, conceding only six runs across his initial three overs while also claiming the crucial wicket of RCB skipper Faf du Plessis, who contributed 17 runs. While Boult tightened one end, Sandeep Sharma was put under pressure early, giving away 12 runs in the second over. However, the introduction of Avesh Khan in the fourth over saw him endure a challenging start as Virat Kohli dispatched him for an impressive six through a pull shot.
Boult’s decisive dismissal of du Plessis came in the fifth over, with the RCB skipper attempting to clear mid-wicket only for Rovman Powell to take a stunning forward-diving catch in the deep. This brought Cameron Green to the crease ahead of Rajat Patidar, as RCB aimed to accelerate. Concluding the powerplay at a steady 50 for one, the stage was set for a fierce battle.
Yuzvendra Chahal was introduced in the eighth over and soon made an impact as Kohli, in a bid to elevate RCB’s run-rate, misjudged and holed out to the mid-wicket boundary for 33. This ended the former captain’s charge and marked a significant breakthrough for RR. Cameron Green then showed flashes of aggression, particularly against Chahal, while Rajat Patidar focused on finding his rhythm.
R Ashwin played a pivotal role during the middle overs, imposing tight control that forced the RCB batters into risky shots. Although Patidar received a lifeline when a chance went down at long-on, Green’s innings culminated at 27 when Powell again demonstrated sharp fielding skills by catching him in the 13th over. Glenn Maxwell followed suit, falling for just a ball later, caught comfortably at long-on, reducing RCB to 97 for four.
A phase of resilience followed as Patidar found his stride, sending two sixes sailing into the stands. However, his resistance ended at 34, with Avesh Khan bagging his wicket at mid-off by the 15th over.
. Dinesh Karthik faced an immediate scare upon his entry, surviving a leg-before decision that was ultimately overturned by the third-umpire.
In the closing overs, it was Mahipal Lomror who provided much-needed impetus to RCB’s innings. Blasting 32 runs off just 17 balls, Lomror ensured the team surpassed 160. Late fireworks from Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma pushed RCB to a competitive total of 172.
The run chase for RR commenced with a cautious approach as RCB’s bowlers found early weaponry from the wicket. However, Yashaswi Jaiswal broke the shackles magnificently in the third over, clobbering four boundaries off Yash Dayal. The opening pair racked up 46 runs before Lockie Ferguson deceived Tom Kohler-Cadmore with a delightful slower ball, knocking him over for 20.
Sanju Samson and Jaiswal maintained the required run-rate, finding boundaries with ease. Just as Jaiswal looked to fifty, a miscued scoop against Green led to his downfall at the halfway mark. Samson soon perished too, advancing towards Karn Sharma only to be stumped for 17 off a wide delivery.
Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer were tasked with steering the chase. A brilliant direct hit from Kohli saw Dhruv Jurel run out, injecting tension into the contest. Parag remained unfazed, partnering Hetmyer to press on in a calculated assault.
As the game entered its climax, RR required 48 from the final five overs. Hetmyer smashed a six off the first delivery from Green, setting the tone. Parag lofted Green for another mammoth six and nudged a four through third-man, shifting the match heavily in Rajasthan’s favor. Despite the late dismissals of Parag for an admirable 36 and Hetmyer for a brisk 26, the equation had been simplified to a near run-a-ball scenario.
Rovman Powell ensured there were no further hiccups, concluding the chase with a flourish via two boundaries and a six in the penultimate over. With confidence, Rajasthan Royals now advance optimistically to Chennai for their next clash against KKR in the Qualifier 2.