In a captivating showdown at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured their qualification for the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs with a dramatic 27-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The match culminated in a nail-biting final over, with CSK needing 17 runs to seal their own playoff berth. The tension was palpable as Yash Dayal faced off against MS Dhoni, a seasoned master of high-pressure situations.
Dayal’s first ball was a full toss, which Dhoni adeptly dispatched over fine-leg for a monumental 110-meter six. The stadium erupted, sensing a possible turnaround. However, the second ball, a slower delivery, resulted in Dhoni’s mistimed shot landing in the hands of the square-leg fielder. The subsequent delivery, short and slow, was missed by Shardul Thakur, heightening the suspense. Thakur managed a single off the following ball, leaving Ravindra Jadeja to chase down 10 runs from the last two balls. Displaying commendable composure, Dayal bowled two well-executed slower balls, preventing Jadeja and CSK from clinching the victory, thus ushering RCB into the playoffs.
The stakes were incredibly high for this virtual knockout as CSK opted to bowl first after winning the toss. RCB’s challenge was clear – they needed to secure an 18-run win to ensure their playoff entry. Typically, the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch is conducive to high-scoring games, and this occasion was no exception.
RCB’s innings began aggressively, with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis spearheading the attack in the initial overs. A standout moment was Kohli’s audacious flick off Tushar Deshpande, lofting the ball over mid-wicket for a six. This aggressive start saw RCB at 31 for three by the end of three overs before an unexpected rain delay. Fortunately, the interruption was brief, allowing the game to resume without overs being deducted.
Post-resumption, batting conditions appeared more challenging. CSK’s spinners exploited the conditions, with the ball gripping and turning. RCB could only manage six runs in the next two overs. However, du Plessis broke this period of stagnation by hitting a straight drive off Mahesh Theekshana in the final over of the powerplay. Kohli resumed his aggressive stance, targeting Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner. Notably, he launched a six over mid-wicket off Jadeja in the ninth over and repeated the feat against Santner in the 10th. However, Kohli’s onslaught ended when he was caught at long-on by Daryl Mitchell, displaying excellent boundary awareness.
Du Plessis continued to dominate, reaching his half-century with a series of powerful shots off Jadeja. Rajat Patidar, another in-form RCB batter, joined the charge with an early six off Theekshana.
. Nonetheless, du Plessis’s innings concluded at 54 due to a deflection from Patidar’s straight drive hitting the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
At 113 for three in the 13th over, RCB needed a final flourish, which came via an electrifying partnership between Patidar and Cameron Green. The duo added 71 runs off just 28 balls, exhibiting ferocious hitting. In the final seven overs, only one saw less than 13 runs being scored. Patidar scored 41 off 23 balls, while Green remained unbeaten at 38 from 17 balls. Contributions from Dinesh Karthik (14 off six balls) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off five balls) helped propel RCB to an imposing total of 218, setting CSK a target of 201 to qualify.
CSK’s chase started disastrously with Ruturaj Gaikwad caught at short fine-leg off the first ball bowled by Glenn Maxwell. The top order struggled, and by the third over, CSK were 19 for two after Dayal dismissed Mitchell through a simple catch at mid-off.
A pivotal partnership emerged as Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane aimed to stabilize the CSK innings. Their effort combined caution with selective aggression, contributing 66 runs off 41 balls. Boundaries were frequent enough to keep the required rate within reach as they advanced to 85 for two by the ninth over. However, Lockie Ferguson’s introduction turned the game once more. Rahane perished, lofting the first ball of Ferguson’s spell to du Plessis, who claimed a high catch for his dismissal at 33.
Attempting to exploit this opening, RCB restricted the flow of runs in subsequent overs. Although Ravindra briefly alleviated the pressure with a hat-trick of boundaries in the 12th over, his run-out following a mix-up with Shivam Dube at 61 significantly dented CSK’s hopes. Dube’s own innings was short-lived, ending via a catch at long-on off Ferguson’s bowling.
Compound pressure saw Santner’s attempt to clear mid-off halted by a sensational one-handed catch from du Plessis in the 15th over. With 71 needed off the last five overs, Dhoni and Jadeja found themselves together at the crease.
A strategic time-out left CSK with 63 required from the last four overs. Jadeja quickly signaled his aggressive intent by hitting a six straight down the ground. Notably, CSK gathered 28 runs over the next two overs, primarily through Jadeja targeting Siraj for a six and a four.
In the penultimate over, Ferguson delivered a beamer followed by boundary hits from both Jadeja and Dhoni. Jadeja’s six off the final ball of the over left CSK needing 17 off the last. The sheer brilliance of RCB’s Yash Dayal in that final over sealed a memorable win, ensuring RCB’s place in the playoffs while keeping CSK’s qualification hopes at bay.