Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) completed their fairytale comeback in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season, securing a playoff spot with a 27-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Bengaluru on Saturday.
With this win, RCB stands in fourth place with seven wins and seven losses, accumulating 14 points. CSK, also with seven wins and seven losses, has slid down to fifth due to a lower net-run rate.
In their chase of 219 runs, CSK had an additional task of scoring at least 201 runs to qualify for the playoffs. However, they got off to a poor start when skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed for a golden duck by Glenn Maxwell on the very first ball of the innings.
New Zealand stars Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell attempted to rebuild the innings, but a poor shot by Mitchell resulted in his dismissal for just four runs, caught by Virat Kohli off Yash Dayal. CSK was 19/2 in 2.2 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane then joined Ravindra, and together they kept the run-rate going with some fine boundaries. CSK reached the 50-run mark in 5.3 overs and finished the powerplay at 58/2, with Ravindra (23*) and Rahane (22*) unbeaten.
The partnership ended when Lockie Ferguson dismissed Rahane for 33 off 22 balls. At the halfway mark, CSK was 87/3, with Ravindra (39*) and Shivam Dube (1*) at the crease. Ravindra then opened up, reaching his maiden IPL fifty in 31 balls, but was soon run out for 61 off 37 balls. CSK was 115/4 in 13 overs.
Cameron Green then got the wicket of a struggling Dube for seven runs, and Faf du Plessis took a fine catch to dismiss Mitchell Santner for three. With MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, CSK reached 150/6 in 17 overs, needing 40 more runs to qualify.
Despite some fine boundaries and sixes from the duo, Yash Dayal dismissed Dhoni for 25 in the final over, and CSK ultimately fell short, ending at 191/7. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 42.
Dayal (2/42) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB, while Lockie Ferguson, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammad Siraj each took a wicket.
Earlier in the match, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis helped RCB to a strong start, scoring 218/5. Kohli scored 47 off 29 balls, and du Plessis hit 54 off 39 balls. Rain briefly interrupted play, but RCB managed to maintain their momentum.
Rajat Patidar’s 41 off 23 balls and Glenn Maxwell’s late cameo of 16 off 5 balls bolstered RCB’s total. Shardul Thakur led CSK’s bowling attack with two wickets.
