In a thrilling display of cricket, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured a pivotal victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Eliminator match of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Royals clinched the win with a four-wicket margin, advancing them to Qualifier 2, where they are set to face the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The match began with RR winning the toss and electing to field, a decision that turned out to be strategically advantageous. RCB, under the limelight, started their innings with a promising flair, but a series of lost opportunities and rhythm led to a middling performance overall. RR’s bowlers continually disrupted RCB’s build-up, taking timely wickets and preventing any significant batting partnerships from flourishing.
The new ball was cunningly utilized by Trent Boult, who delivered a magnificent spell that restricted runs and claimed the highly valued wicket of Faf du Plessis, who managed just 17 runs. Meanwhile, Sandeep Sharma had a costly over early on, giving away 12 runs, which momentarily allowed RCB some breathing space. However, the introduction of Avesh Khan into the attack rebalanced the momentum with a spectacular pull shot from Virat Kohli that was matched equally by Boult’s decisive delivery, dismissing du Plessis through a catch by Rovman Powell in the deep.
Cameron Green was introduced at the crucial No. 3 position, coming ahead of Rajat Patidar, as RCB concluded their powerplay with a respectable score of 50 for one. The turning point came in the eighth over when Yuzvendra Chahal entered the fray, enticing Kohli to ramp up the pace which unfortunately resulted in his dismissal for 33 — a massive breakthrough for RR. The following overs played host to a dynamic battle, with Green earning runs against Chahal’s deliveries while Patidar took time to find his form.
Ravichandran Ashwin, bowling in those middle overs, tightened the screws on the scoring rate which pressured RCB’s batsmen into risky shots. Although Patidar survived a close call when he was dropped at long-on, Green’s ambitious shot led to his fall to cover, with Powell again taking the catch. The very next delivery witnessed Glenn Maxwell sky a catch to long-on, leaving RCB at a vulnerable 97 for four by the 13th over.
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As Patidar’s late flourish began with two sixes, the tie swung yet again, until Avesh Khan captured his wicket for 34 in the 15th over. Dinesh Karthik’s controversial leg-before decision added to the tension, as it was reversed upon review. The backend of RCB’s innings was steadied by Mahipal Lomror, whose spirited 32 from 17 balls helped lift RCB’s score beyond 160. Contributions from Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma towards the close edged the total to 172, setting RR a challenging target.
In their chase, RR made a cautious start with the RCB bowlers extracting some assistance from the wicket. Yashaswi Jaiswal unleashed in the third over, accumulating four boundaries off Yash Dayal, although there was an early life with a dropped chance at slip. RR openers put together a solid partnership of 46 runs until Lockie Ferguson’s slower delivery saw the departure of Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 20.
Yashaswi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson maintained the chase’s tempo, pushing towards the required rate with regular boundaries. However, Jaiswal’s attempt at a scoop off Green culminated in a catch by the wicketkeeper, while Samson’s miscalculated charge against Karn’s delivery led to him being stumped for 17.
With the pressure mounting, Riyan Parag took charge alongside Shimron Hetmyer, the designated Impact Player, managing a calculated assault on RCB’s bowlers. Despite an anxious moment when Dhruv Jurel was run out through a Kohli direct hit, Parag’s experience and Hetmyer’s explosive performance brought RR back in control. With 48 runs needed from the last five overs, the equation became manageable after Hetmyer’s mighty six and Parag’s elegant strokes which drove the run-chase.
Hetmyer’s short but influential innings, including his six over long-on, re-established the balance despite eventual dismissals from Mohammed Siraj who closed down Parag at 36 and Hetmyer at 26. As the game narrowed to a run-a-ball requirement, Rovman Powell ensured minimal hiccups, closing the innings in style with two fours and a six, ultimately sealing RR’s triumph in the penultimate over.
With their eyes set on the next challenge, RR marches on to Chennai with a renewed vigor and championship aspirations, ready to face the Kolkata Knight Riders in the next showdown.