The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a thrilling encounter yesterday (22nd May) as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) edged out the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 4 wickets in the IPL 2024 Eliminator. With this win, RR secures a spot in Qualifier 2, keeping their championship dreams alive.
RCB, who started the season poorly, managed to put up a respectable total of 172 runs on the board after electing to bat first. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, some crucial contributions from Shahbaz Ahmed (34 runs) and Glenn Maxwell (28 runs) helped them reach a defendable score. Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the Rajasthan Royals bowlers, picking up 3 wickets for just 25 runs in his economical spell.
Chasing a tricky target under immense pressure, the Royals got off to a shaky start, losing their openers early. However, a crucial partnership between Sanju Samson (42 runs) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (38 runs) steadied the ship. Unfortunately, both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession, raising doubts about RR’s chase.
Just when things were starting to look bleak, Riyan Parag (37* runs) and Shimron Hetmyer (25* runs) took centre stage. The duo played some sensible cricket, stitching together a vital partnership to take their team close to victory. Hetmyer finished the match in style with a six in the penultimate over, sending the Royals’ dugout into a frenzy.
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Ashwin’s all-around performance earned him the Player of the Match award. His bowling not only restricted RCB’s batting but also included a crucial wicket of Glenn Maxwell at a critical juncture.
This victory marks a significant turnaround for the Rajasthan Royals, who started the season with a bang but lost momentum in the middle. They will now face the winner of Qualifier 1, with a chance to book a spot in the grand finale.
For RCB, the loss signifies yet another season-ending without silverware. Despite a valiant comeback in the latter half of the tournament, their inconsistency proved to be their undoing. This match also saw some controversial moments, with DRS decisions going against RCB and some questionable fielding lapses. The passionate RCB fans will have to wait another year to see their team lift the coveted IPL trophy.
