In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured a hard-fought victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by four wickets in the Eliminator of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This win propels RR into Qualifier 2, where they will face the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The match began with RR winning the toss and opting to bowl first. RCB’s innings showed potential for a significant total as several batsmen got off to good starts, but none managed to convert those starts into substantial scores. Every time RCB appeared to gain momentum, RR’s bowlers intervened to disrupt their progress.
Trent Boult delivered an impressive opening spell with the new ball, conceding just six runs in his three overs and claiming the wicket of RCB’s captain, Faf du Plessis, who scored 17 runs. At the other end, runs came a bit more freely with Sandeep Sharma conceding 12 runs in the second over. Avesh Khan was introduced in the fourth over and was greeted by a six from Virat Kohli through a pull shot. However, Boult struck again in the fifth over, dismissing du Plessis as he attempted to clear mid-wicket. Rovman Powell took a diving catch in the deep, sending du Plessis back to the pavilion.
Cameron Green was promoted to the number three position, ahead of Rajat Patidar. RCB concluded their powerplay at 50 for one. Yuzvendra Chahal was brought into the attack in the eighth over, and Kohli, in an attempt to accelerate the scoring, was caught at mid-wicket for 33. This was a crucial breakthrough for RR. The following overs witnessed a fluctuating battle as Green took on Chahal while Patidar took his time to settle in.
Meanwhile, R Ashwin bowled a crucial spell in the middle overs, applying pressure from one end and restraining the flow of runs. This pressure led to RCB’s batsmen taking unnecessary risks. Patidar had a moment of luck when he was dropped by the long-on fielder, but Green was not as fortunate. He was dismissed for 27 off 21 balls in the 13th over when he holed out to cover. Powell took another catch, and off the very next ball, Glenn Maxwell was caught at long-on. RCB found themselves at 97 for four in 13 overs.
Patidar rediscovered his form, hitting two sixes within the next seven balls. However, Avesh Khan broke through again as Patidar was caught at mid-off for 34 in the 15th over.
. Dinesh Karthik came to the crease and immediately faced a loud appeal for leg-before. The on-field decision was overturned by the third umpire, providing a brief respite for RCB.
In the slog overs, Mahipal Lomror’s aggressive batting ensured RCB reached a competitive total. Lomror scored 32 runs off 17 balls. In the final over, Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma added further boundaries, pushing the team’s score to 172.
RR’s run chase started cautiously as RCB’s bowlers found assistance from the pitch, keeping the batsmen quiet for the first two overs. Yashaswi Jaiswal broke the shackles in the third over, hitting four boundaries off Yash Dayal, with one edge being dropped at first slip. The openers began to accelerate, adding 46 runs. However, the breakthrough came in the fifth over when Lockie Ferguson bowled a slower delivery to dismiss Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 20.
Sanju Samson and Jaiswal maintained the required rate, finding boundaries at regular intervals. Jaiswal entered the 40s but was dismissed while attempting a scoop shot off Green, edging the ball to the wicketkeeper. Shortly after, Samson was stumped off a wide delivery from Karn Sharma for 17, putting RR in a precarious position.
The responsibility then fell on Riyan Parag’s shoulders. Despite a scare when Dhruv Jurel was brilliantly run out by a direct throw from Kohli, Parag remained composed. He combined with Shimron Hetmyer, the Impact Player, to launch a calculated assault on the RCB bowlers.
With five overs remaining, RR needed 48 runs. Hetmyer immediately hit a six over long-on off Green’s first ball. Parag followed up with a six over cover and a four through third-man, significantly easing the required rate pressure. Hetmyer’s contribution was vital as he used his experience to absorb the pressure effectively. Despite Siraj returning to dismiss both Parag (36 off 26) and Hetmyer (26 off 14), the equation had been reduced to a run-a-ball scenario.
Rovman Powell ensured there were no further hiccups, finishing the match in style with two fours and a six in the penultimate over, sealing the victory for RR.
The Rajasthan Royals now advance to Qualifier 2 in Chennai, where they will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders in what promises to be another exciting contest in the TATA IPL 2024. Over to Chennai!