Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) emerged victorious against Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs in a high-stakes IPL encounter on Saturday, May 18. This win secures the coveted fourth and final playoff spot for RCB in the 2024 season. The victory marks the culmination of a remarkable turnaround for RCB. They've strung together an impressive six consecutive wins, propelling them into the top four alongside Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. This sets the stage for an exciting playoff race in the IPL.
RCB openers Faf du Plessis (54 off 39) and Virat Kohli (47 off 29) provided a solid foundation with a quickfire partnership, setting the tone for a massive total of 218/5. CSK, needing 201 runs to qualify for the playoffs even with a loss due to their better net run rate, got off to a shaky start. Despite a valiant 61-run knock from Rachin Ravindra and a late fireworks display by the experienced duo of Ravindra Jadeja (42* off 27) and MS Dhoni (25 off 13), CSK could only manage 191/7, falling short of the target. This win secures the fourth and final playoff berth for RCB, joining Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the top four fray.
Ruturaj Gaikwad rues CSK's defeat
Meanwhile, right after the match Ruturaj Gaikwad highlighted reason which dented CSK's campaign at the IPL 2024 and cost them the playoff spot. Gaikwad clearly said that throughout the season CSK remained riddled with injuries. First they lost Devon Conway then Matheesha Pathirana got injured and later in the tournament they missed the services of Mustafizur Rehman as well.
"It was a good wicket. For spinners, it was turning and gripping a little bit. Pretty happy with what the target was. To sum up the season, pretty happy with seven games out of 14. Injuries, not having Conway as well - made a lot of difference. Challenges right from the first game. Pathirana got injured, we missed Fizz as well. When you have injuries, it is difficult to balance the squad... Couldn't get over the line, but these things can happen. For me, personal milestones don't matter a lot. After all, the ultimate prize is to win. We couldn't get it, so personally I'm slightly disappointed as well," Ruturaj Gaikwad said at the post-match press conference.
In a do-or-die clash for RCB, the team batted first and put up a formidable total of 218 for 5 wickets against defending champions CSK. Openers Faf du Plessis (54) and Virat Kohli (47) laid a strong foundation with a 78-run partnership in just 9.4 overs, despite a brief rain interruption early in their innings. Rajat Patidar (41 off 23 balls) continued the momentum with a crucial knock at number 3, adding a 71-run partnership with Cameron Green (38* off 17 balls). Late cameos from Dinesh Karthik (14 off 6 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off 5 balls) ensured RCB finished with a strong total.
Chasing 218 for a playoff berth, CSK needed 201 runs to qualify even with a loss, thanks to their superior net run rate. However, their batting faltered. Despite valiant efforts from Rachin Ravindra (61 off 37 balls), Ravindra Jadeja (42* off 27 balls), and Ajinkya Rahane (33 runs), they could only manage 191 for 7 wickets. Even a late 13-ball 25-run cameo from MS Dhoni couldn't save the day for CSK. Yash Dayal emerged as a key bowler for RCB, keeping his cool in the final over and claiming 2 wickets for 42 runs.
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