Table of Contents
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are back in contention for the IPL 2024 playoffs after a 4-wicket win against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Saturday. This victory propelled them to number 7 in the IPL points table.
Dominant Start Followed by Dramatic Collapse
The match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium unfolded in two contrasting halves. RCB dominated the early stages, with Faf du Plessis (64 off 23 balls) and Virat Kohli (42 off 27 balls) setting a record-breaking 92-run partnership in the powerplay – the highest ever for RCB in IPL history.
However, a sudden collapse saw the middle order crumble, losing wickets in quick succession. From a commanding position of 117/1, RCB slumped to a precarious 117/6. Joshua Little (4/45) and Noor Ahmad (2/23) emerged as GT’s bowling heroes, taking crucial wickets and threatening to snatch victory away from the Challengers.
Just when defeat seemed imminent, Dinesh Karthik (21 not out off 12 balls) and Swapnil Singh (15 not out off 9 balls) came to the rescue. Their composed seventh-wicket partnership of 38 runs steered RCB home with a comfortable margin of 38 balls remaining.
Faf du Plessis Reflects on Rollercoaster Match
After the nail-biting win, RCB skipper Du Plessis emphasized the importance of maintaining an aggressive approach.
“Been really good the last few games, the way we’ve played with bat and ball. Aggressive with the bat, unbelievable in the field. [Assessment of conditions] There was more bounce in the wicket, we got that information and the bowlers were consistently really good. We dropped a catch but have been really consistent. Something around 180-90 would have been a good score, but we’ve seen the way the game has changed,” Du Plessis said in the post-match interaction.
Also READ: “Goofy reaction of Virat Kohli’s wife”: Netizens capture various expressions of Anushka Sharma during RCB vs GT clash | IPL 2024
He acknowledged the need to learn from the mid-innings collapse but stressed the importance of a positive mindset.
“Don’t look at the scoreboard and play the way that we want to play. It was a bit nerve-racking, another wicket, another wicket. Probably not the best but you’re trying to be positive, get your NRR up. It makes sense from that point of view but it gets to the point when you need to show a bit of calmness and composure – probably around four down, so some lessons to be learned from that,” the RCB skipper added.
With their playoff hopes reignited, RCB will look to continue their winning momentum when they face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 9.
