An electrifying display from the Rajasthan Royals (RR) propelled them to a thrilling four-wicket victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the highly anticipated Eliminator clash of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Held at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, this victory ensured RR’s progression to Qualifier 2, where they are set to face the formidable Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The match began with RR winning the toss and opting to bowl, a strategic decision that set the tone for what would be a nail-biting contest. RCB’s innings promised a bigger score as many of their batsmen managed to get off to decent starts. However, the inability to convert those starts into substantial scores proved to be their undoing. RR’s bowlers, with impeccable timing, made crucial breakthroughs to halt RCB’s momentum.
RR’s Trent Boult delivered an exceptional opening spell, constraining RCB’s scoring opportunities. He gave away a mere six runs in his three-over spell while bagging the important wicket of RCB’s captain, Faf du Plessis, who was dismissed for 17. At the opposite end, Sandeep Sharma’s over was more costly, yielding 12 runs. In came Avesh Khan, who was welcomed with a mighty pull shot for six by Virat Kohli, RCB’s linchpin.
The fifth over saw Boult’s tactful bowling pay dividends as du Plessis tried to clear mid-wicket, only to be caught by an agile Rovman Powell in the deep. This dismissal was pivotal as RCB wrapped up their powerplay with a score of 50 for one.
Yuzvendra Chahal was introduced into the attack in the eighth over, marking a turning point for RR. Under pressure to escalate the run rate, Kohli attempted to accelerate the score but fell for 33, giving RR a significant breakthrough.
What followed was a gripping battle between bat and ball. Cameron Green started to assault Chahal’s bowling, while Rajat Patidar, going in at No. 4, took time to adjust. Meanwhile, veteran off-spinner R Ashwin exerted immense pressure with his accurate line and length in the middle overs, forcing RCB’s batsmen into risky shots. Green (27 off 21 balls) was soon dismissed, courtesy of a well-judged catch by Powell at cover.
This dismissal snowballed into further losses for RCB, as Glenn Maxwell perished the very next ball, caught at long-on, reducing RCB to 97 for four by the 13-over mark.
. However, Patidar, recovering his rhyth, managed to clear the boundary ropes twice in quick succession. Unfortunately for RCB, he was next to depart, caught at mid-off for 34 off Avesh Khan’s bowling.
Dinesh Karthik’s arrival at the crease was marked by drama. Initially ruled out leg-before by the on-field umpire, a review overturned the decision. Despite this reprieve, it was Mahipal Lomror who added vital runs for RCB, smashing 32 off 17 balls. Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma’s late-inning efforts pushed the total to a defendable 172.
As RR embarked on their chase, the RCB bowlers found some assistance from the wicket, keeping the RR openers quiet initially. However, a spirited Yashaswi Jaiswal broke the shackles in the third over, blitzing four boundaries off Yash Dayal, and raising the tempo for RR. Jaiswal and Kohler-Cadmore provided a solid start, adding 46 runs for the opening stand until a masterful slower delivery from Lockie Ferguson claimed Kohler-Cadmore for 20.
RR’s chase saw captain Sanju Samson and Jaiswal keep the scoreboard ticking, interspersed with boundaries. As Jaiswal inched closer to his half-century, an ambitious scoop resulted in his dismissal, caught behind after a faint edge. Samson’s attempt to take on Karn Sharma saw him too stumped out for a modest 17, adding a twist to the tale.
The onus of the chase fell upon Riyan Parag, who, despite the pressure, maintained composure. Partnering with Shimron Hetmyer, the Impact Player, Parag orchestrated a strategic attack, revising the dynamics of the chase. With 48 runs needed from five overs, Hetmyer launched a six over long-on, igniting hope in the RR camp.
Parag’s calculated strokeplay, including a crucial lofted six over cover, saw the required rate dip significantly. Hetmyer, despite being dismissed late in the chase along with Parag, had done enough to relieve the pressure. Powell, ensuring there were no further slipups, sealed the deal with impressive boundaries, clinching the win in the penultimate over.
As RR march forward to the Qualifier 2 in Chennai, the stage is set for another thrilling contest against KKR. This victory at Ahmedabad not only illuminated the all-round strength of the Rajasthan Royals but also their ability to remain calm under pressure, making them a formidable adversary in the IPL 2024.