TATA IPL 2024: RR Ends Drought with Win Over RCB, Faces SRH in Qualifier 2
The Rajasthan Royals ended their five-match losing streak with a thrilling four-wicket victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Chasing a target of 173, the Royals had an up-and-down journey but ultimately prevailed, putting an end to RCB's impressive six-game winning streak and their dream comeback from the bottom of the points table. This win sets up a clash for the Royals with Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 in Chennai, with the winner advancing to face the Kolkata Knight Riders in the final.
Avesh Khan (3-44) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-19) led a disciplined bowling performance to restrict RCB to 172/8. In response, Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 45, supported by Riyan Parag (36), Shimron Hetmyer (26), and Rovman Powell (16 not out), propelling the Rajasthan Royals to chase down the target in 19 overs. Jaiswal had a lucky escape when Cameron Green dropped a tough chance at first slip when he was on five. He then hit three fours in the next four balls off Yash Dayal. Along with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Jaiswal struck three more boundaries off Mohammed Siraj.
Kohler-Cadmore earned a reprieve when Glenn Maxwell made a simple catch in the deep and went on to take two fours off Dayal. But the batter fell to Lockie Ferguson in the last over of the Power Play when his off-stump was rattled by a slower yorker.
Jaiswal and Sanju Samson collectively took three boundaries off Swapnil Singh, but the former fell when his attempt to scoop took a glove edge behind against Green. In the next over, Samson stepped out against Karn Sharma and missed a wide ball to be stumped easily. There was more cheer for RCB as Virat Kohli executed a superb throw from the deep after running to his left from a deep square leg and had a casual Dhruv Jurel run-out.
Hetmyer helped steady RR's nerves by hitting a six over wide long-on off Green. Parag followed with a beautiful inside-out six over cover and a ramped short ball over the third-man boundary for four more, resulting in 17 runs from the 16th over. Hetmyer then drove and slashed Dayal for two fours, reducing RR's target to 19 runs from 18 balls.
Parag, having scored 36 off 26 balls, was bowled by Siraj when he missed a big heave and lost his middle stump. Just three balls later, Hetmyer attempted a flick but got a leading edge that was superbly caught by cover running back, adding a twist to the game. With 13 runs needed from 12 balls, Powell toe-ended a square drive and edged the ball into the third-man region for consecutive fours off Ferguson. Powell then completed the chase with a gentle loft down the ground, securing RR's chance to enter the final.
