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May 18, 2024
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their spot in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs with a thrilling 27-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The match came down to a nail-biting final, with CSK needing 17 runs to secure their own playoff qualification. In a dramatic moment, Yash Dayal bowled a full toss on his first delivery, which MS Dhoni launched for a massive 110m six over fine-leg.
However, the second ball was slower, and Dhoni attempted to clear square-leg but ended up providing an easy catch to the fielder. Following this, Shardul Thakur faced a short and slow delivery, missed the next ball, and managed an outside edge for a single to short third man. This left Ravindra Jadeja with the daunting task of scoring 10 runs off the last two balls to replicate his heroics from the 2023 final.
Dayal maintained his composure in a moment of high tension, delivering two exceptional slower balls that thwarted CSK’s efforts and secured RCB’s passage into the playoffs. It was only fitting that RCB vs CSK delivered such an exhilarating match on a day when both teams’ futures in the tournament hung in the balance. Ultimately, RCB vs CSK showcased the fierce rivalry and determination that defines the IPL.
In a virtual knockout match, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the toss and opted to bowl first, setting up the scenario where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) needed to win by 18 runs regardless of the score they posted. The pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium has a history of producing high totals, and today was no exception. However, there was a moment during RCB’s innings when reaching 200 seemed challenging.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru started strong, with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis aggressively taking the initiative in the early overs. One of the standout shots came from Kohli, who charged at Tushar Deshpande and executed a brilliant flick over mid-wicket for a six. By the end of three overs, RCB found themselves at 31 for three when rain suddenly interrupted play. Fortunately for cricket fans, the rain was brief, allowing the match to resume without any overs lost. The excitement of RCB vs CSK continued to build as both teams vied for crucial points in this pivotal encounter. Ultimately, RCB vs CSK proved to be an electrifying clash as the stakes rose higher.
The conditions became noticeably tougher for batting after the resumption of play. CSK brought in their spinners, and the ball began to grip and turn. In the two overs following the break, RCB could only manage six runs, as the spinning ball troubled the batters multiple times. Du Plessis finally broke the shackles in the last over of the powerplay, hitting a delivery from Mahesh Theekshana straight down the ground. Kohli also found his rhythm as Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner continued to pose challenges with their spin after the powerplay. Kohli struck a six over mid-wicket off Jadeja in the ninth over. When Santner bowled the 10th over, he added another six over mid-wicket. However, on the very next ball, he was caught at long-on by Daryl Mitchell, who displayed excellent awareness to keep the ball in play.
Du Plessis then took charge, smashing two sixes and a four off Jadeja to reach his half-century. Rajat Patidar, one of RCB’s in-form batters, also contributed with a six early in his innings off Theekshana. Unfortunately, du Plessis was dismissed for 54 when a drive from Patidar deflected off Santner’s hand during his follow-through and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end. With RCB at 113 for three in 13 overs, a serious charge was needed in the slog overs. This crucial stage in the match added another exciting chapter to the RCB vs. CSK rivalry, as both teams fought fiercely for victory. The intensity of RCB vs CSK was palpable, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.
Then came the pivotal partnership that propelled RCB past the 200-run mark. Rajat Patidar and Cameron Green combined for an explosive 71 runs in just 28 balls, showcasing some exceptional attacking batting. In the last seven overs, only one over yielded fewer than 13 runs, highlighting the significant impact of their partnership. Patidar scored 41 off 23 balls, while Green finished unbeaten on 38 off 17 balls. Contributions from Dinesh Karthik (14 off six balls) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off five balls) further helped RCB reach a total of 218, setting the target for CSK at 201 to qualify.
CSK’s chase began dramatically when Ruturaj Gaikwad hit the first ball to short fine-leg, only to be caught by Yash Dayal. Glenn Maxwell was introduced to bowl the first over, considering the circumstances from RCB’s innings. The early overs proved challenging for the CSK batters, and they lost their second wicket in the third over when Dayal induced an edge from Mitchell, which was caught at mid-off. With CSK at 19 for two, they found themselves in a precarious position. The intensity of RCB vs CSK was evident as both teams battled fiercely, setting the stage for a thrilling contest. As the match progressed, the stakes of RCB vs CSK grew higher, captivating fans with every delivery.
Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane set out to resurrect the CSK innings with a crucial partnership that balanced caution and aggression, adding 66 runs off 41 balls. Both batters found boundaries regularly, ensuring the required run rate didn’t spiral out of control. Their collaboration was steady as they shared the scoring workload, reaching 85 for two in nine overs before introducing Lockie Ferguson. On his first delivery, Rahane lofted a shot high in the air, only to be caught by Du Plessis for 33.
This presented RCB with a prime opportunity to capitalize, and they intensified the pressure in the following overs by curtailing the boundaries. In the 12th over, CSK relieved some tension when Ravindra struck four and two sixes, bringing him to his half-century. The drama escalated in the ensuing overs: Mohammad Siraj dropped Shivam Dube at long-on during the 13th over, but it didn’t prove costly for RCB, as Ravindra was soon run out following a mix-up with Dube for 61. Dube’s struggle continued, and he was dismissed in the next over, caught at long-on off Ferguson’s bowling. The pressure on CSK mounted further when Santner attempted to clear mid-off in the 15th over, only for Du Plessis to execute a spectacular one-handed catch while diving to his right. The stakes of RCB vs CSK heightened dramatically, adding to the excitement of this fiercely contested match. The intensity of RCB vs CSK Match grew as both teams vied for supremacy on the field.
With the qualification target in mind, CSK needed 71 runs off the last five overs when MS Dhoni entered to join Ravindra Jadeja. After the time-out, CSK was left with 63 runs to chase down in the final four overs. Jadeja quickly signaled his intentions, smashing the first ball for a six down the ground. Following the time-out, CSK made significant progress towards their target, scoring 13 and 15 runs in the subsequent two overs. Jadeja primarily took on the responsibility of attacking the bowlers, hitting Siraj for both a six and a four.
As Lockie Ferguson came on to bowl the penultimate over, CSK required 35 runs to win. Ferguson started with a beamer, which set the tone for a dramatic finish. Jadeja and Dhoni each collected a four during the over. Jadeja capped it off by launching the last ball over mid-wicket for another six, intensifying the excitement of the RCB vs CSK showdown. The pressure was palpable as the match drew closer, with RCB vs CSK clash becoming a thrilling battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The stage was set for a breathtaking conclusion to this epic contest.
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