In a thrilling encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) carved out a path to the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs by securing a gripping 27-run victory against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The match was a high-stakes affair, with CSK requiring just 17 runs in the final over to progress to the playoffs. Yash Dayal, pressure mounting on his shoulders, delivered a full toss on the first delivery, which MS Dhoni sent soaring over the fine leg for an astounding 110-meter six. However, fortune favored Dayal with the second ball; after having slowed his pace, he enticed Dhoni into a slog, only for the ball to find an eager fielder at square leg.
Shardul Thakur, following Dhoni’s dismissal, missed the subsequent delivery, which was both shortened and slower, but managed to edge a single, leaving Ravindra Jadeja ten runs away from achieving the monumental task with only two deliveries remaining. The tension was palpable as Yash Dayal maintained his composure, delivering a pair of precise, slower balls to clinch RCB’s place in the IPL playoffs. Fans of both teams witnessed a contest befitting the rivalry, on a decisive day that would dramatically swing the tournament’s fate.
CSK chose to field first after winning the toss, marking the clash as a virtual knockout with the added pressure of needing to restrict RCB to an 18-run victory margin. The Chinnaswamy pitch, a reputation for high scores, offered exciting prospects, though RCB encountered a brief period where reaching a 200-run total seemed challenging.
RCB began their innings with intent, as stalwarts Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis took the bowling head-on during the early overs. A standout moment came when Kohli executed a magnificent flick, propelling a delivery from Tushar Deshpande over mid-wicket for six. The weather intervened with rain, temporarily halting play with RCB positioned at 31 for three after three overs. Thankfully, the shower was brief, allowing play to resume without losing any further overs.
Upon resumption, batting conditions appeared to have been fortuitously impacted, with the CSK spinners seizing control. Demonstrating good grip and turn, they restricted RCB to only six runs in the two overs following play’s resumption. Du Plessis recaptured the side’s momentum in the powerplay’s final over with a ground-shaking six off Mahesh Theekshana. Kohli mirrored this resurgence by dispatching Jadeja’s delivery over the mid-wicket boundary in the ninth over, a feat he replicated against Santner’s bowling in the 10th over before being caught at long-on by a sharply aware Daryl Mitchell.
Du Plessis, undeterred, continued his aggressive approach, hammering Jadeja for two sixes and a four, cruising to his half-century before a freak accident saw him dismissed for 54. Rajat Patidar, a player in top form, stepped up to the pitch with a six off Theekshana early in his knock. The forceful hitting of Patidar, aided by Cameron Green, significantly propelled RCB beyond 200 with a partnership amassing 71 runs off a mere 28 deliveries.
. The power-hitting stretched into the final overs, with only one producing fewer than 13 runs. At the close of RCB’s innings, they stood strong at 218, setting a challenging target for CSK.
The CSK innings began with a jolt. Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught out by Yash Dayal at short fine-leg from the opening ball, and the pressure increased with Mitchell’s dismissal in the third over, edging a delivery to mid-off, leaving CSK teetering at 19 for two. With a tough climb ahead, Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane initiated damage control, building a crucial partnership that blended cautious progression with calculated aggression. They contributed 66 runs off 41 balls, maintaining a manageable rate as they moved to 85 for two at the end of nine overs.
The introduction of Lockie Ferguson in the 10th over initiated a sequence of escalating tension. Rahane lofted one high on the first ball and found himself caught out by du Plessis for 33. The subsequent overs saw boundary dry spells further heap pressure on CSK. Ravindra eventually relieved some tension with a four and two sixes, reaching his half-century in style.
The match’s final stages were nothing short of theatrical. A missed catch by Siraj off Shivam Dube did not haunt RCB long, as Ravindra’s unfortunate run-out for 61 tightened their grasp. Dube’s dismissal soon followed as he was caught attempting a big hit off Ferguson’s delivery. In an impressive display of athleticism, du Plessis ran across to seize both a victory-defining catch and prevent Santner’s potential score.
With the match dwindling to the wire, CSK required 71 from the final five overs. MS Dhoni’s entrance to join Jadeja offered little comfort. Even after a time-out, 63 runs loomed in CSK’s forbidable final overs. Jadeja, signaling his intentions, struck the first ball for six, pushing CSK closer with substantial scores from sequential overs. In the penultimate over, Ferguson faced an unpredictable campaign, beginning with a beamer, and saw Jadeja and Dhoni each score a four. Jadeja ended the over with a spectacular six, setting the stage for the last thrilling moments that ultimately belonged to RCB.