Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) defeated the Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to secure a spot in the Indian Premier League playoffs with a 10-run victory on Saturday.
RCB made an incredible comeback, rising from the bottom of the table to win six straight games and qualify for the Playoffs. The Royal Challengers secured the fourth and final spot, just in time.
Chennai required 219 runs for an outright win, but only 201 to reach the playoffs. However, they fell 10 runs short as left-arm pacer Yash Dayal maintained his nerve while bowling the last over. Bengaluru sneaked through on net run rate ahead of three other teams with the same 7-7 win-loss records.
Who meets who in the playoffs starting on Tuesday will be determined after the last round-robin games on Sunday.
RCB set an imposing total of 218-5, with Faf du Plessis scoring 54 off 39 balls and Cameron Green unbeaten on 38 off 17.
Chennai’s chase ended at 191-7 with a possible final appearance by team icon Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was dismissed in the last over for 25 off 13.
RCB’s Opening pair :
Du Plessis and Virat Kohli opened the batting, scoring 78 runs off 58 balls. Kohli made 47 runs off 29 balls, including four sixes, while Du Plessis hit three fours and three sixes.
At Bengaluru, Mitchell Santner caught Kohli and then ran out du Plessis. The score was 113-2 after 13 overs.
But Rajat Patidar hit 41 off 23 balls, including four sixes. Together with Green, they scored 71 runs off 28 balls for the third wicket, hitting five fours and seven sixes.
Cameos from Dinesh Karthik (14) and Glenn Maxwell (16) added luster to the total.
The defending champions got off to a poor start in the chase: Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught by Maxwell for a golden duck.
Dayal caught the in-form Gaikwad and dismissed Daryl Mitchell, who had scored 4 runs.
The comeback was initiated by Rachin Ravindra, who scored 61 runs off 37 balls, and Ajinkya Rahane, who contributed 33 runs off 22 balls.
Lockie Ferguson ended their 66-run partnership after a strategic timeout.
Ravindra scored his first IPL half-century, hitting five fours and three sixes, but was run out due to a mix-up with Shivam Dube.
The hard-hitting Dube couldn’t recover and was caught on 7.
Chennai’s playoff chances looked bleak, but Ravindra Jadeja scored an unbeaten 42 off 22 and 61 off 27 with Dhoni.
Dhoni hit a six off Dayal’s first ball in the final over, adding to the drama. However, he was caught out on the next ball, and Chennai subsequently crashed out.