At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 18, 2024, RCB players celebrate their victory over the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match.AFP
Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated the reigning champion Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs on Saturday, securing the final play-off position in the Indian Premier League thanks to crucial knocks from captain Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli.
At their home stadium, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru scored 218-5 after Du Plessis, who struck 54, and Kohli, who slammed 47, set the groundwork for the total in a rain-soaked innings.
Bengaluru advanced to the play-offs on run-rate following their sixth consecutive victory after holding Chennai to 191-7 in reply, leaving both teams tied at 14 points.
"What a night! "What a fantastic atmosphere," remarked Du Plessis, the game's player of the match, as he and his team performed a lap of honor for the home crowd. "Just a pleasure to finish the season in front of the home crowd with a win." Bengaluru will now take part in the Ahmedabad eliminator on Wednesday. Table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, and Kolkata Knight Riders have already qualified for the playoffs, which start Tuesday in Ahmedabad with the first qualifier. The final will take place in Chennai on May 26.
Chennai missed the qualifying line as Rachin Ravindra struck 61 before ancient warhorse M.S. Dhoni (25) and Ravindra Jadeja, who made an undefeated 42, gave Bengaluru a scare in a stand of 61.
The game may be Dhoni's final IPL appearance as a player and the final meeting between the two Indian cricketing greats, Kohli and Dhoni.
After leading the club to a record-tying fifth triumph last year, Dhoni, 42, was supposed to retire, but he promised to return for one more season following a knee operation. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who won the toss and chose to field first in the virtual knockout for the final play-off spot, was given the Chennai leadership by Dhoni prior to the season. But Gaikwad was dissatisfied. "Happy with the seven wins, couldn't get over the line though," he remarked.
Du Plessis is stunning.
When play restarted, the ball started to turn after rain stopped Kohli, who leads the batting list with 708 runs, and Du Plessis from continuing their onslaught after the third over.
While Kohli hit a couple of sixes, both openers fought their way through Chennai's spin attack from Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner.
Santner, a left-arm spinner from New Zealand, got Du Plessis run out at the non-strikers' end after he deflected his finger, denying Kohli his fifty.
Cameron Green, who smashed an undefeated 17-ball 38, and Rajat Patidar, who hit 41, then steadied the ship and responded with a partnership of 71 off 28 balls.
Glenn Maxwell hit the first ball to dismiss Gaikwad for a duck as Bengaluru came back with a lot of ball.
Kohli's pursuit was halted when fast bowler Yash Dayal got Daryl Mitchell caught.
At mid-off, however, Du Plessis made a spectacular one-handed flying grab that sent Santner reeling back.
As Chennai needing 17 runs from the final over to qualify, Jadeja and Dhoni gave hope of a comeback, but Dayal remained composed and dismissed Dhoni after giving up just one run.
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