In a gripping encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched a significant 27-run triumph over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), securing their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs. The high-stakes match proved to be an electrifying affair as both teams vied fervently for a spot in the next stage, coming down to the wire in the final over.
With CSK needing 17 runs in the last six balls to ensure their playoff qualification, the match hung in the balance. Enter Yash Dayal, who had the daunting task of bowling to the legendary MS Dhoni. Dayal started with a full toss, which Dhoni launched over fine-leg for a massive 110-meter six, intensifying the drama. However, the game took a turn when Dayal cleverly varied his pace with the next delivery. Dhoni attempted to replicate his previous shot over square-leg, only to misjudge the ball and be caught in the deep.
The match continued with Shardul Thakur missing the third delivery, which was a short, slow ball. Thakur managed to scramble an outside edge for a single, leaving Ravindra Jadeja with 10 runs needed from the final two deliveries to recreate his heroics from the 2023 final. Yash Dayal, however, held his composure, delivering two brilliant slower balls to deny CSK the remaining runs, effectively propelling RCB into the playoff rounds.
In what was a virtual knockout for both teams, CSK opted to bowl first after winning the toss. This decision meant that they needed to restrict RCB to such a total that they would win by a margin of 18 runs or more. True to the Chinnaswamy Stadium’s reputation, the pitch promised big scores, although at one point, it seemed like RCB might struggle to reach 200.
The RCB innings began with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis launching an early assault, particularly highlighted by a scintillating flick from Kohli that soared over mid-wicket for six off Tushar Deshpande’s delivery. RCB stood at 31 after three overs when rain intervened, halting proceedings. However, the interruption was brief, with play resuming without any overs lost, much to the relief of cricket fans.
Post rain, batting looked significantly more challenging. CSK’s spinners capitalized on the conditions, extracting grip and turn from the wicket. RCB scored a mere six runs in the next two overs as batsmen were frequently beaten by the turning ball. Faf du Plessis broke free of these constraints in the final powerplay over, lofting a delivery from Mahesh Theekshana over mid-off. Kohli also regained his rhythm, dispatching Jadeja over mid-wicket for a six in the ninth over, followed by another against Mitchell Santner in the 10th, before being caught out by Daryl Mitchell at long-on.
Du Plessis continued his onslaught, reaching his half-century with a series of aggressive strokes including two sixes and a four off Jadeja’s bowling.
. Rajat Patidar, in exceptional form, joined in with a six off Theekshana early in his innings. However, an unfortunate deflection off Santner’s hand led to du Plessis being run out at the non-striker’s end for 54. With a scoreboard reading 113/3 at the end of 13 overs, RCB needed a finishing flourish to post a competitive total.
Enter Patidar and Cameron Green, whose explosive partnership amassed 71 runs from just 28 balls as the pair showcased breathtaking attacking cricket. In an extraordinary display of power hitting, RCB managed to keep the scoreboard ticking at a rate exceeding 13 runs per over through the final stages of their innings. Patidar contributed 41 off 23 balls, while Green remained unbeaten on 38 from 17. Brief yet vital contributions from Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell propelled RCB to a formidable total of 218, setting CSK a daunting task of 201 for qualification.
CSK’s chase commenced dramatically as Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught by Yash Dayal at short fine-leg on the very first ball. Glenn Maxwell bowled the opening over, hoping to disrupt CSK right from the start. CSK struggled early on, losing their second wicket by the third over when Dayal had Mitchell caught at mid-off, leaving CSK at 19/2.
A resurgence came when Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane joined forces, adding 66 runs at a decent clip, balancing caution with aggressive shot-making to keep the required rate within reach. They took CSK to 85/2 in nine overs before Lockie Ferguson entered the attack, resulting in Rahane’s dismissal for 33.
This shift allowed RCB to apply pressure by stymieing the boundaries. The 12th over witnessed a mild resurgence from CSK as Ravindra struck a four followed by two sixes, reaching his half-century. In the ensuing overs, however, the tension escalated further. Shivam Dube was dropped early in his innings but this reprieve was short-lived as Ravindra was run-out following a mix-up with Dube, departing for 61.
The wickets continued to tumble when Dube himself was dismissed shortly after, leaving Santner to face the heat, who then fell to an incredible catch by du Plessis.
CSK faced a monumental task of scoring 71 runs from the final five overs as MS Dhoni joined Jadeja. A timeout left them needing 63 from four overs. Jadeja asserted his intent promptly, but a thrilling showdown was set for the final over with CSK requiring 35 runs after capitalizing on some wayward bowling by Ferguson.
Despite their perseverance and strengths on display, CSK succumbed to the mounting pressure, and RCB’s tactical acumen shone through, securing their well-fought and celebrated triumph, earning them a coveted playoff position.