RCB brave late twist in tale to pull off a double over GT in IPL 2024

Despite an unexpected hiccup midway through their innings, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed to turn the tide around in their favour as they surged past the Gujarat Titans in a tight chase to make it a hat-trick of wins in IPL 2024.

Winning the toss, RCB opted to bowl first and their opening bowlers dished out an absolute masterclass in the powerplay to justify Faf’s decision. Turning the faucet off in the wee overs of the game, Mohammed Siraj drew first blood in the form of Wriddhiman Saha (1). Not long after he dealt a second blow and this time it was the crucial scalp of Shubman Gill (2) as the Titans wobbled.

Not long after, Cameron Green struck and Sai Sudharsan (6) was back in the hut too, leaving the visitors crumbling at 19/3. Shahrukh Khan (37) and David Miller (30) managed to steady the ship for GT until Karn Sharma got the better of the latter while an electric fielding effort from Virat Kohli removed Shah Rukh.

Another battle in tandem between Rashid Khan (18) and Rahul Tewatia (35) saw the Titans extending their fight against the resolute hosts but a double whammy from ex-Gujarat player, Yash Dayal snuffed out all the resistance. Dayal sneaked one through the defences of Rashid Khan first and then followed it up with a bait for Tewatia and the southpaw gobbled it up only to find that he had waddled into uncharted territories.

The remainder of the resistance from the Titans was gone in no time whatsoever as RCB bundled them out for 147. Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal and Vyshak Vijaykumar plundered six wickets between them to headline the show in unison.

Shooting down a total of 148, RCB was off to a bang as their captain, Faf du Plessis parlayed his aggressive game into a blistering show of firecrackers inside the powerplay.

Riding high on a 23-ball-62 from du Plessis, an innings that starred 10 fours and three humongous sixes, saw RCB scooting to 92 in just 5.4 overs. Just when it felt that the hosts would possibly run away with the game even before the 10-over mark hit to dish out a strong statement, Joshua Little removed the hard-hitting Protean opener.

The fall of Faf du Plessis’s wicket threw RCB into unprecedented hot waters and they could very well have drowned if not for a brazen display to see the troubles off by the duo of Dinesh Karthik and Swapnil Singh.

From 92/0, RCB went spiralling to 117/6 in a span of just five overs, losing the likes of their captain, Will Jacks (1), Rajat Patidar (2), Glenn Maxwell (4), Cameron Green (1) and Virat Kohli (42). With 31 runs still needed and DK and Swapnil, the last recognized batting duo in the mix out in the center, it felt like a herculean task for the hosts.

However, Dinesh Karthik, undeterred and unfazed by the sudden turn of events held his breath under the rising tides for an over before unleashed his signature finishing fury, hammering away 21 off 12. He had concrete support in the form of Swapnil Singh who stayed unbeaten for 15 off 9 as RCB secured a comprehensive win with 38 balls to spare.

Mohammed Siraj won the Player of the Match award for his reckoning display in the Powerplay while RCB leapfrogged Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings to climb up to the seventh position in the points table.