Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their spot in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs with a nail-biting 27-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The explosive encounter distilled down to the last over, with CSK requiring 17 more runs to secure their playoff berth.
It was Yash Dayal who took on the challenge, bowling the final over under immense pressure. He began with a full toss that MS Dhoni hammered out of the park for a 110m six, igniting hopes for CSK. The following ball was a slower delivery, which Dhoni aimed to send over square-leg but only managed to sky it, resulting in a straightforward catch for the fielder in the deep.
Shardul Thakur then stepped in but missed the third ball, which was short and slow. He managed to edge the fourth ball for a single to short third man, reducing the requirement to 10 runs off the final two balls for Ravindra Jadeja. Dayal, however, maintained his composure, sending down two well-executed slower deliveries that denied Jadeja and consequently, CSK, confirming RCB’s spot in the playoffs.
Earlier, in a match that had the atmosphere of a knockout clash, CSK won the toss and opted to bowl first, setting an equation where RCB had to win by a margin of 18 runs to qualify for the playoffs. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for high-scoring games, and this match adhered to that tradition, even though there was a period during RCB’s innings when achieving 200 seemed uncertain.
RCB kicked off with flair as Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis took an aggressive stance in the opening overs. A standout moment was Kohli’s flick off Tushar Deshpande that sailed over mid-wicket for a six. By the end of three overs, RCB had accumulated 31 for three when rain interrupted play. Thankfully for the fans, the rain was brief, and the game resumed with no overs lost.
The conditions after the rain break appeared challenging for batting. RCB struggled against CSK’s spinners, who found grip and turn on the pitch. In the two overs following the restart, RCB could only manage six runs. However, du Plessis broke the shackles in the last over of the powerplay with a boundary off Mahesh Theekshana. Kohli too got into his stride, hitting Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner for sixes over mid-wicket.
The aggression continued in the ninth over when Kohli smashed another six off Santner, but was out the very next ball, caught by Daryl Mitchell at long-on. Du Plessis carried on, hitting two sixes and a four off Jadeja to reach his half-century. Rajat Patidar, in form this season, also contributed with a six off Theekshana early in his innings. Du Plessis was eventually run-out for 54 in a freak dismissal when a drive by Patidar grazed Santner’s hand and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end. At 113 for three after 13 overs, RCB needed a substantial slog to push their score past 200.
This was when Patidar and Cameron Green orchestrated a partnership that changed the game’s momentum.
. They added 71 runs in just 28 balls, showcasing some exemplary power-hitting. In an incredible final seven overs, only one yielded fewer than 13 runs. Patidar scored 41 off 23 balls, while Green remained unbeaten on 38 off 17 balls. Short but impactful cameos from Dinesh Karthik (14 off six balls) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off five balls) further propelled RCB to a massive total of 218, meaning CSK needed 201 to qualify.
CSK faced early setbacks in their chase. Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught by Yash Dayal at short fine-leg off the first delivery of the innings. Glenn Maxwell bowled the opening over, possibly inspired by his earlier success with the bat. It was not an easy start for the batsmen, and CSK lost their second wicket in the third over when Dayal got Mitchell to edge one to mid-off. At 19 for two, CSK were in hot water.
Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane endeavored to rebuild the innings with a vital partnership of 66 runs off 41 balls that combined caution with aggression. Both batsmen found boundaries consistently, ensuring that the required run rate didn’t spiral out of control. The partnership seemed to bring CSK back into the game until Rahane was caught by du Plessis off Lockie Ferguson’s first ball in the ninth over.
This wicket opened up an opportunity for RCB to tighten the noose, which they did by restricting boundaries in the following overs. Ravindra, however, countered the pressure, achieving his half-century with a four and two sixes in the 12th over. The intensity of the game ramped up further in the late overs.
Shivam Dube was dropped by Mohammad Siraj in the 13th over but was soon run out in a mix-up with Ravindra. Dube’s struggle ended in the next over as he holed out to Ferguson at long-on. CSK’s hopes dwindled further when Santner was spectacularly caught by du Plessis in the 15th over.
With 71 needed off the last five overs, MS Dhoni joined Jadeja at the crease. At the time-out, CSK required 63 from the final four overs. Jadeja responded immediately with a down-the-ground six. CSK kept chipping away at the target, gathering 13 and 15 runs in the next two overs, with Jadeja chiefly responsible for the aggressive strokes, including a six and a four off Siraj.
In the penultimate over by Ferguson, CSK required 35 runs. Both Dhoni and Jadeja hit a four each, and Jadeja launched the last ball over mid-wicket for a six, setting up a thrilling final over.
Ultimately, RCB’s Yash Dayal emerged as the hero, holding his nerve in the climax to deny CSK, ensuring a memorable victory and booking RCB’s place in the playoffs.