The Rajasthan Royals (RR) delivered a stellar all-round performance to secure a dramatic four-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Eliminator match of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The high-stakes contest, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, marked a crucial victory for RR, propelling them to the Qualifier 2, where they will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The Royals opted to bowl first after winning the toss, a decision that proved pivotal. RCB’s innings oscillated between moments of promise and frustrating collapses, as several of their batters got off to decent starts but failed to convert those into substantial scores. Each time RCB seemed poised to take control, the Royals’ bowlers stepped in to spoil their momentum.
Trent Boult was instrumental with the new ball, delivering an economical and incisive opening spell. He conceded only six runs in his first three overs and claimed the vital wicket of RCB captain Faf du Plessis, who was dismissed for 17.
Despite Boult’s disciplined bowling, RCB managed to find occasional scoring opportunities. Sandeep Sharma conceded 12 runs in the second over, and Avesh Khan, brought in for the fourth, was greeted with a powerful pull shot for six by Virat Kohli. However, Boult ended the optimism by dismissing du Plessis in the fifth over, caught in the deep by Rovman Powell as he attempted a risky shot over mid-wicket.
Cameron Green was promoted to number three, ahead of Rajat Patidar, as RCB finished the powerplay at 50 for one. Yuzvendra Chahal came into the attack in the eighth over. Kohli, aiming to accelerate the run-rate, finished a lofted shot into the hands of the mid-wicket fielder, leaving the pitch for 33. This was a significant breakthrough for RR.
The following overs were marked by a seesaw battle. Green targeted Chahal assertively while Patidar struggled to find his rhythm. R Ashwin’s excellent spell in the middle overs further tightened the screws, limiting the run flow and inducing pressure on RCB’s batters, which led to them taking reckless risks.
Patidar survived an initial scare when he was dropped by the long-on fielder, but Green’s aggressive knock ended at 27 off 21 balls when he holed out to cover off Powell in the 13th over. Glenn Maxwell followed Green’s fate, hitting the next ball straight to long-on to be caught comfortably. By the 13th over, RCB was reeling at 97 for four.
Finding his form shortly thereafter, Patidar launched two sixes within seven balls but fell for 34 in the 15th over, attempting a risky shot and getting caught at mid-off.
. Dinesh Karthik, who stepped in next, had a brief yet controversial stay at the crease, surviving an initial leg-before decision via a third-umpire review.
As the innings approached the death overs, Mahipal Lomror played a vital hand for RCB, scoring a quickfire 32 off 17 balls. His calculated aggression ensured RCB crept past the 160-mark. The final over saw Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma add a few crucial boundaries, pushing the score to 172.
The run-chase for RR began tentatively with the RCB bowlers extracting movement from the pitch, consequently keeping the batters quiet for the first two overs. Yashaswi Jaiswal eventually broke the shackles in the third over, slamming four boundaries off Yash Dayal, one resulting from a dropped catch at first slip. The opening pair added 46 runs before RCB gained a breakthrough. Lockie Ferguson bowled a perfect slower ball to shatter Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s stumps for 20 in the fifth over.
Jaiswal and captain Sanju Samson kept the scoreboard ticking, with Jaiswal advancing into the 40s. However, in an attempt to scoop Green, Jaiswal edged the ball to the wicketkeeper just before the innings’ halfway mark. Samson soon followed, giving a charge to Karn Sharma, only to be stumped off a wide for 17.
At this critical juncture, RR’s run-chase was anchored by Riyan Parag. Despite a nerve-wracking moment when Dhruv Jurel was run-out after an excellent throw from Kohli, Parag maintained his composure. He established a vital partnership with Shimron Hetmyer, who, after a period of absence, returned to the thick of action and utilized his experience to mount a decisive counter-attack.
RR needed 48 off the last five overs. Hetmyer initiated the assault with a massive six over long-on off Green’s first delivery. Parag then followed up with a six over cover and a deft shot through third-man for four, shifting the match decisively in RR’s favor. Although Siraj dismissed both Parag (36 off 26) and Hetmyer (26 off 14), the required run-rate had significantly eased. Rovman Powell then sealed the deal with two fours and a towering six, clinching the victory for RR in the penultimate over.
The triumph sends RR to Chennai, where they will vie for a spot in the final against the formidable KKR.