Magazine : 
TATA IPL 2024: RCB Clinches Playoff Spot with 27-Run Triumph Over CSK
Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal shone with figures of 2-42, including the crucial wicket of MS Dhoni in a tense final over, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched a playoff spot in the IPL 2024 with a thrilling 27-run victory over Chennai Super Kings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. In front of their home crowd, RCB posted a formidable 218/5, thanks to a collective batting effort led by captain Faf du Plessis (54), Virat Kohli (47), Rajat Patidar (41), and Cameron Green (38 not out), despite a 40-minute rain interruption.
Despite Rachin Ravindra's impressive 61 and a rapid 61-run partnership off 27 balls between Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni, CSK were restricted to 191/7, falling short and exiting the competition. RCB secured their sixth consecutive win to clinch the last playoff spot. This marks the fourth time in five seasons that RCB has reached the IPL playoffs. Additionally, they have made history as the first team to qualify for the playoffs with seven wins in a 10-team competition.
Kohli and du Plessis set the platform for the big total through the 78-run opening stand. It was followed by Patidar and Green having a 71-run association for the third wicket, with Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell firing in late cameos to get a massive total on board for RCB. Tournament’s leading run-getter Kohli began in stunning fashion with a square drive off Shardul Thakur for four, before skipper Faf du Plessis drove the all-rounder for four more and thumped a six over the bowler’s head.
Kohli used his supple wrists to flick Tushar Deshpande for six, before pulling him for another maximum in the third over, while also completing 3000 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Despite Kohli striking some lovely boundaries off Santner and Ravindra Jadeja, he fell three runs short of his fifty when he whipped uppishly to wide long-on off the former.
Du Plessis continued the attack by hitting Jadeja for four and back-to-back sixes in his third over before reaching his fifty. But his knock ended when Santner got a finger off a straight drive from Patidar before the ball hit the stumps at the bowler's end, catching the batter short of the crease. After several replays, umpire Michael Gough confirmed du Plessis’ bat was in the air and adjudged him out for 54 off 39 balls.
In response, CSK never looked in contention to chase down the target of 219. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad fell for a golden duck, top-edging a short ball straight to short fine leg off Maxwell. Daryl Mitchell didn't fare much better, lasting just six balls before miscuing a lofted shot to mid-off against Dayal. Ravindra, with his cuts and pulls, along with Ajinkya Rahane, stabilized CSK's innings after the early setbacks by hitting seven boundaries in a 66-run partnership off 41 balls for the third wicket.
Ravindra advanced to a 31-ball fifty, his first in the IPL, by smashing Ferguson over deep mid-wicket for six. Despite Jadeja being dropped by Karthik off Green, RCB continued to take wickets: Dube was caught at long-on off Ferguson, and du Plessis took a leaping one-handed catch at mid-off to dismiss Santner cheaply. Jadeja and Dhoni hit nine impressive boundaries between them, bringing CSK close to 200. However, the match turned in RCB's favor. Needing 10 runs to qualify off the last two balls, Dayal redeemed himself by not conceding a single run, sparking frenzied celebrations at the venue.
.jpg "Relieving Pain through Medication & Interven- tional Procedures")