The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was the scene of a dramatic and decisive victory for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as they secured their spot in the playoffs of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. On a day brimming with tension and excitement, RCB emerged victors by a margin of 27 runs, overcoming arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in what was effectively a knockout clash.
The encounter reached a fever pitch in the final over, with Chennai needing 17 runs to clinch their place in the playoffs. Yash Dayal’s first ball brought a thrilling twist as MS Dhoni hammered a full toss for a towering 110-meter six over fine leg. However, the following delivery, a slower one, tempted Dhoni into a mistimed shot that landed comfortably in the hands of a waiting fielder at square-leg. As the crowd held its breath, Shardul Thakur was left facing and missed the next ball, before managing only a single off an outside edge. This left Ravindra Jadeja with a steep task: 10 runs from the final two balls to replicate his heroic performances of past tournaments. Dayal maintained his composure, delivering two perfect slower balls, securing RCB’s victory in a match that highlighted why their rivalry with CSK is one of the fiercest in the IPL.
Earlier in the day, CSK captain opted to bowl first after winning the toss, setting a tight equation for RCB: whatever score they amassed, they had to win by at least 18 runs. The familiar pitch of Chinnaswamy is known for yielding high scores, a fact reflected in the eventual proceedings, despite a mid-innings phase where RCB appeared to be struggling to reach 200.
RCB’s innings was heralded by the formidable opening pair of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, who began an aggressive onslaught. A standout moment came when Kohli flicked a charged delivery from Tushar Deshpande over mid-wicket for six. However, rain interrupted their flow temporarily, as a short cloudburst halted play with RCB at 31 for three after just three overs. Fortunately, the interruption was fleeting, and the match resumed with no reduction in overs.
Upon resumption, the conditions made batting tougher, as CSK turned to their spinners who exploited the pitch’s grip and turn. Runs were hard to come by immediately, with the next two overs yielding only six runs.
. Du Plessis broke free by dispatching a delivery from Mahesh Theekshana straight down the ground at the end of the powerplay. It took Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner’s spin threat to eventually force Kohli into a false stroke, but not before he hit a majestic six over mid-wicket.
The middle order was initially anchored by du Plessis, who showcased his talents with a half-century, before Rajat Patidar entered the fray with aggressive batting against spin. A clever bit of fielding from Daryl Mitchell at long-on ended Kohli’s innings as he was caught out going for yet another boundary.
However, it was Patidar, partnering with Cameron Green, who played the pivotal roles in propelling RCB to a daunting total of 218 through an explosive partnership of 71 runs in just 28 balls. Patidar scored a brisk 41 from 23 deliveries while Green powered an unbeaten 38 from 17 balls. The final acceleration saw the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell contributing quick runs, ensuring RCB exceeded the 200-mark, setting CSK a target of 201 to qualify.
In response, CSK’s innings began with high drama as Ruturaj Gaikwad perished on the first ball, hitting straight to Yash Dayal stationed at short fine leg, whereupon Glenn Maxwell, relishing his bowling, cleaned up Mitchell in the third over with the scoreboard reflecting a precarious 19 for two.
The task of recovery fell to Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane, whose partnership provided CSK some stability through a strategic mix of caution and aggression, adding vital runs in tandem. The duo managed to push CSK to a promising 85 for two after nine overs. However, the introduction of Lockie Ferguson saw Rahane dismissed for 33 with a mistimed shot that was safely pocketed by du Plessis.
As CSK strived to maintain pace, the overs turned tense with notable moments such as Shivam Dube’s dropped catch by Mohammad Siraj and a crucial run-out of Ravindra following a mix-up with Dube. The pressure surged further when Santner fell in the 15th over to a spectacular one-handed catch by du Plessis.
Ultimately, CSK was left needing 71 off the last five overs with Dhoni joining Jadeja at the crease. Despite Jadeja’s spirited hitting against Siraj, the towering required rate and RCB’s spirited fielding and discipline with the ball made the task too steep for CSK, culminating in one of the most exhilarating finishes of the season.