Rajasthan Royals shattered Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) resurgence in the IPL-17 eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. RCB, riding high on a six-match winning streak, entered the crucial encounter brimming with confidence. This optimism followed a miraculous turnaround after a dismal start, winning just one of their first eight games.
In stark contrast, Rajasthan Royals had been in freefall, failing to secure a victory in their last five outings, with one match abandoned. Despite this poor form, they managed to halt RCB’s momentum, which had seemed unstoppable given the stellar individual performances from their key players.
RCB struggled initially, posting a subpar 172/8. Their woes were compounded when Rajasthan’s openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, launched a blistering assault, capitalizing on RCB’s fielding lapses, including dropped catches. Nonetheless, RCB maintained their belief, chipping away at Rajasthan’s lineup with regular wickets.
A moment of brilliance from Virat Kohli, who executed a stunning throw that saw Cameron Green controversially dismiss Dhruv Jurel, left Rajasthan precariously placed at 112/4 in the 14th over. Despite needing 61 runs off 41 balls, Rajasthan faced an uphill battle, especially with RCB’s morale high.
Riyan Parag, in spectacular form this season, played a pivotal role with a counter-attacking 36 off 26 balls. His partnership with Shimron Hetmyer was crucial, adding 45 runs off just 25 balls, including a game-changing 17 runs off the 16th over, which tilted the match in Rajasthan’s favor.
Parag was eventually bowled by Mohammed Siraj, but with only 16 runs required off 16 balls, Rajasthan was firmly in control. Hetmyer’s dismissal four balls later added a brief moment of tension, yet the Royals were untroubled, crossing the finish line with six balls and four wickets to spare.
RCB’s innings was characterized by fleeting moments of momentum, consistently undermined by untimely wickets, leading to their below-par total. Despite a valiant effort from their bowlers, RCB couldn’t match the resolve of a determined Rajasthan Royals.
Rajasthan’s victory sets up a Qualifier 2 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Friday. While RCB's dream run ended, Rajasthan’s grit and resilience ensured they lived to fight another day in the tournament.
