Dinesh Karthik showed that Nidahas Trophy was not his only finishing masterstroke in T20 cricket. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter turned out to be the finisher in need for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a game that looked lost before he walked into the middle. It was not another cameo but a well-planned knock of 44 not out off just 23 deliveries. Karthik helped RCB stage a turnaround against Rajasthan Royals (RR), beating them by four wickets with five balls to spare.
Chahal turns it around
Chasing 170, RCB got off to an ideal start in the powerplay overs with 48 runs on the board. Yuzvendra Chahal got the major breakthrough after powerplay overs. Faf du Plessis became Chahal's first RCB victim in IPL. The skipper scored 29 runs from 20 deliveries. In the next over, Navdeep Saini got an outside edge off Anuj Rawat's bat.
The situation turned from bad to worse for RCB in the ninth over. First, Virat Kohli got run out trying to sneak a quick single. Chahal followed it up with getting David Willey bowled for a two-ball duck. At 62/4 in the ninth over, RCB needed a partnership but Sherfane Rutherford was not up to the task. Trent Boult ended Rutherford's troubled stay at the crease.
Karthik’s masterpiece, Shahbaz’s supportive role
It was Karthik’s presence in the middle that boosted RCB’s chances of making a comeback. However, it was Ravichandran Ashwin's final over that infused life into the game. Ashwin bowled a no ball that shifted the momentum in RCB's favour. Karthik freed his arms with a six. 21 runs were scored in the 14th over. Navdeep Saini faltered too and conceded three boundaries in the next over. Shahbaz Ahmed joined the onslaught as well and took on RR’s strike bowler Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna. However, he could not see RCB through. The left-handed batter got out in the 18th over. He contributed with a crucial 45 off 26 deliveries.
In the penultimate over, Karthik remained calm and did not overattack. The veteran scored a couple of boundaries off Krishna. Needing just three runs off the final over, Samson gave the ball to Yashavi Jaiswal. Harshal Patel got a freebie as Jaiswal bowled a half-tracker which was deposited into the stands. Patel finished in style to give RCB their second win of the season.
Slow start
Earlier RR struggled in powerplay overs. David Willey got rid of Jaiswal in the second over. Buttler did not score a single boundary in the powerplay overs. Devdutt Padikkal scored a couple during fielding restrictions. RR's score after six overs was 35/1.
Dull middle overs
Buttler, Padikkal tried to accelerate but the latter got out at the halfway stage. Padikkal scored 37 runs from 29 deliveries. Harshal Patel got his wicket. Skipper Samson looked in good touch with a six off Hasaranga but got caught and bowled in the same over.
Exciting finish
Shimron Hetmyer did the heavy lifting before the death overs. It was in the penultimate over, Buttler broke free. The English wicketkeeper-batter hit four sixes in the last two overs. Buttler remained unbeaten for 70 off 47 deliveries whereas Hetmyer scored 42 off 32 deliveries to take RR to 169/3. For RCB, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep leaked boundaries while others kept it tight.