Despite suffering a mini-collapse, Royal Challengers Bengaluru usurped Gujarat Titans by four wickets to continue their winning run in the IPL 2024. At Chinnaswamy on Saturday, the home side chased down the target of 148 in just 13.4 overs.
RCB’s bowlers lay the platform
A large share of the credit for RCB’s win would have to go to their bowlers. On a Chinnaswamy track, that surprisingly assisted the pace bowlers, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj, Cameron Green and Vijaykumar Vyshak chipped in with crucial wickets to leave GT in all kinds of trouble. Siraj led from the front by dismissing both Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill.
The pace bowler generated enough swing, and supplemented it with seam movement and a bit of bounce to trouble the GT batters upfront. Dayal, too, found some movement while Green kept the opposition quiet by hitting the deck hard and extracting enough lift form the surface.
Chinnaswamy track offering help to the bowlers
Not often do you see pace bowlers extracting a hint of bounce and nip off the wicket at Chinnaswamy in a limited-overs game. On the given day, the pacemen from both sides got some encouragement from the pitch. The new white Kookaburra ball also swung through the air for a while.
Du Plessis and Kohli blaze away
Just after two overs, RCB’s score read 34 for no loss. After the Powerplay, it was 92 for 1. Although du Plessis was dismissed at the fag end of the Powerplay, he had already done enough damage by cracking a 23-ball 64. Virat Kohli, also, made an impression by crunching a volley of shots. The way he brought out the sweep and pull versus Manav Suthar’s left-arm spin would have gladdened the hearts of the RCB fans.
And then a collapse…
Somehow RCB found themselves in some strife as they lost six wickets for just 25 runs. Johsua Little, who came in for some punishment at the start of the innings, bagged a four-for. The likes of Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell and Green all fell to cross-batted shots. Noor Ahmad then prised out the dangerman, Kohli, with the RCB opener offering a catch to the ‘keeper. At that juncture, his team was 117 for 6.
Karthik, Swapnil take RCB home
Under pressure, Dinesh Karthik showed his experience, essaying the whip and pull shot. Swapnil Singh, meanwhile, employed a sweep or two as RCB inched closer towards victory. Swapnil then hit the winning runs by lifting Rashid Khan over his head and into the stands.