In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) emerged victorious over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by four wickets in the Eliminator match of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This victory has secured RR’s spot in Qualifier 2, where they will now face the formidable Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Chennai.
The match began with RR winning the toss and opting to field first. It seemed a wise decision as the RCB batters struggled to build momentum throughout their innings. Despite multiple players getting off to promising starts, the inability to convert those into substantial scores led to a below-par total. RR’s disciplined bowling attack played a pivotal role in stifling RCB’s efforts.
Trent Boult delivered an exceptional performance with the new ball, conceding just six runs in his initial three overs while dismissing RCB skipper Faf du Plessis for 17 runs. Boult’s early strike set the tone for the RR bowlers, who consistently disrupted RCB’s innings whenever they threatened to accelerate.
On the other side, Sandeep Sharma conceded 12 runs in the second over, allowing RCB a slight breather. However, Avesh Khan’s introduction into the attack saw Virat Kohli pull his first ball for a six, albeit Boult resumed control by dismissing du Plessis in the fifth over. This dismissal came as du Plessis attempted to hit over mid-wicket, only to be caught by Rovman Powell diving forward. By the end of the powerplay, RCB was positioned at 50 for one.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s entry in the eighth over marked a memorable moment for RR. In an attempt to escalate RCB’s run-rate, Kohli was dismissed for 33, a crucial breakthrough for RR. The middle overs were a battlefield as Cameron Green took charge momentarily, but Patidar required time to anchor the innings.
R Ashwin’s crucial spell during these overs applied further pressure on the RCB lineup, leading to reckless shots. Although Patidar was dropped at long-on once, Green’s aggressive stint ended for 27 in the 13th over when he was caught by Powell. A ball later, Glenn Maxwell succumbed to a similar fate, caught at long-on. RCB’s mission appeared in jeopardy at 97 for four in 13 overs.
Patidar revived slightly with a quick-fire two sixes but soon fell victim to Avesh’s smart bowling, departing for 34 in the 15th over. Dinesh Karthik then faced a tense moment with a leg-before appeal, overturned by the third umpire decision.
.
To finish on a competitive note, Mahipal Lomror’s aggressive batting in the death overs was crucial. He scored a swift 32 off 17 balls, pushing RCB’s score beyond 160. In the final over, boundaries from Swapnil Singh and Karn Sharma lifted RCB to a final total of 172.
In pursuit of 173, RR’s start was cautious but resilient against the RCB bowling unit exploiting the pitch conditions. Yashaswi Jaiswal broke the early shackles in the third over with four boundaries off Yash Dayal, one being a drop at first slip. The openers laid a foundation with 46 runs.
RCB earned their first breakthrough when Lockie Ferguson’s slower delivery bowled Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 20 in the fifth over. However, Sanju Samson and Jaiswal continued to maintain the required run-rate, targeting boundaries at regular intervals.
Jaiswal’s seeming dominance ended in the 40s when an attempted scoop off Green found the keeper’s gloves. Shortly after, Samson charged at Karn Sharma but was stumped for 17, leaving the chase balanced precariously.
Riyan Parag played a pivotal role stabilizing the chase. After Dhruv Jurel’s unfortunate run-out via Kohli’s throw, the partnership between Parag and Shimron Hetmyer proved effectively strategic. Hetmyer, utilized as the Impact Player, along with Parag, intelligently rotated the strike and targeted weaker deliveries.
As the match progressed into its climax, RR required 48 runs from the last five overs. Hetmyer striking a six off the first ball by Green followed by Parag’s aerial shot over cover surrendered the impetus to RR. Smashing a boundary via third-man further anchored their position.
Although RCB witnessed a glimmer of hope through Siraj’s dismissals of Parag and Hetmyer, RR’s strategy of exploiting the occasional boundary brought the equation down to run-a-ball. Rovman Powell, with a calm presence at the crease, sealed the innings, ensuring no more tumbles with two elegant fours and a towering six.
RR proceeded confidently with an emphatic finish, awaiting their next challenge against KKR in Chennai. The contest promises to be an intense continuation of IPL’s knockout adventure.