Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis' batting blitzes helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinch a much-needed win against Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 4, Saturday to keep themselves alive in IPL 2024's playoff race. The four-wicket win over GT has catapulted RCB to seventh in the IPL 2024's points table from bottom spot to stay afloat in playoff contention.
Bowling first RCB first restricted GT to a lowly total of 147. In reply, Kohli (42) and Faf Du Plessis (64) gave RCB a fiery start to set the tone of the chase. However, after losing the dazzling opening duo, RCB suffered a batting collapse but Dinesh Karthik made sure RCB cruise past the finishing line with four wickets to spare.
Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis cracks whip with bat
Openers Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli unleashed an aggressive batting display, putting RCB in a dominant position from the start. Du Plessis blazed to a rapid fifty in just 18 balls before departing for 64 runs off 23 deliveries. Kohli, at the other end, remained unbeaten on a brisk 34 runs from 15 balls. The partnership propelled RCB to a rapid 100 runs within the first 7 overs, losing just two wickets. But in a span of mere 18 runs RCB lost the next four wickets in a jiffy and found themselves reeling at 117/6. After getting rid of Du Plessis and Will Jacks, Joshua Little and Noor Ahmed removed Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell (4), Rajat Patidar (2) and Cameron Green (1) in no time.
Dinesh Karthik's rescuing act
However, RCB maintained control of the chase with Dinesh Karthik (21 off 12) intact on the crease. Dinesh Karthik's cameo innings sealed the victory by 4 wickets with a comfortable 38 balls to spare. While Joshua Little took four wickets and Noor Ahmed snared two wickets for the losing side.
RCB bowlers stifle GT batters
Earlier, GT were stifled by a combination of a lively pitch, precise bowling from RCB, and their own hesitant batting, ultimately managing a below-par total of 147 all out. While there were glimpses of promise in partnerships between David Miller and Shahrukh Khan (61 runs) and Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan (44 runs), the Titans lacked a truly impactful innings or a dominant partnership to build a strong foundation.
Their struggles were particularly evident during the Powerplay overs. RCB's Mohammed Siraj (2/29) and Yash Dayal (2/21) exploited the pitch's bounce and carry with excellent line and length, restricting the Titans to a mere two boundaries in the first six overs. This score of 23 for 3 is the lowest recorded in the Powerplay this season, highlighting both RCB's bowling accuracy and the Titans' batting woes.
Siraj, returning from a brief break, showed remarkable improvement from his earlier struggles. He dismissed Wriddhiman Saha with a well-directed outswinger that was comfortably pouched by Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. Soon after, Shubman Gill's miscued swat off Siraj found the hands of Vysakh Vijayakumar at deep point, further hindering the Titans' momentum.
RCB bowlers kept the GT' batting in check throughout their innings. Cameron Green struck in the Powerplay, dismissing the in-form B Sai Sudharsan with a catch taken by Virat Kohli. With their top scorers out, the pressure mounted on the remaining batsmen. David Miller (30) and Shahrukh Khan (37) provided a glimmer of hope with a brisk 61-run partnership. Miller smashed a couple of sixes off Karn Sharma but was eventually caught out by Glenn Maxwell. Shahrukh Khan's dismissal was a turning point. Backing up too far for Rahul Tewatia's soft touch, he was caught short by a brilliant throw from Kohli at the non-striker's end.
Tewatia (35) and Rashid Khan (18) added a further 44 runs for the sixth wicket, but their efforts were short-lived. Rashid's attempt at an innovative shot against Yash Dayal resulted in his dismissal, and Tewatia soon followed, leaving the Titans with a below-par total of 147.
RCB will next face Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 9 while GT will lock horns with CSK on May 10.
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