Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) managed to survive a middle-over scare of quick wickets despite an explosive partnership between skipper Faf Du Plessis and Virat Kohli to record a four-wicket win against Gujarat Titans (GT) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Saturday.
RCB has jumped to the seventh place in the points table, with four wins and seven losses, giving them eight points. With the same win-loss record and points but an inferior net-run-rate, GT is in the ninth spot.
In the run-chase of 148 runs, RCB was off to a fine start. Virat made his attacking intentions clear by smashing Mohit Sharma for two sixes over long-off and deep midwicket with his signature wrist work.
In the next over bowled by Joshua Little, skipper Faf Du Plessis joined the party by taking him to the cleaners with two fours and six on the first three balls and ended the over with a boundary over midwicket, looting 20 runs from the over.
Du Plessis continued his carnage, first hitting Manav Suthar for a six and four in the third over and then launching Mohit for four boundaries in the fifth over, bringing up the 50 runs in just 3.1 overs. Mohit continued to prove aggressive for GT, conceding 32 runs in just two overs.
In the next over, Virat started dealing in sixers, smashing Suthar for two successive sixes over long-on and cow corner.
Faf reached his half-century in just 18 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. This was the second fastest half-century by an RCB batter, next to Chris Gayle's 17-ball fifty in 2013 against Pune Warriors India.
Little broke the partnership, getting the wicket of Du Plessis for 64 in 23 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes. RCB is 92/1 in 5.5 overs. Shahrukh Khan took the catch at the edge of the inner ring.
At the end of the powerplay, RCB was 92/1, with Virat (28*) joined by Will Jacks. However, Jacks could not stay for long either, dismissed for just one run by Noor Ahmed after he was caught by Shahrukh. RCB was 99/2 in 6.5 overs. RCB reached the 100-run mark in seven overs.
GT made a brief comeback into the game in the next two overs. First, it was Noor Ahmed who got Will Jacks caught for just one run by Shahrukh Khan at long-on. Next, Joshua Little brought a twist in the game with quick wickets of Rajat Patidar (2), Glenn Maxwell (4) and Cameron Green (1) within his two final overs. RCB slipped to 111/5 in 9.5 overs.
In the next over, RCB received its biggest jolt as Noor removed Virat for 42 in 27 balls with two fours and four sixes after an edge was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. RCB was 117/6 in 10.4 overs.
Dinesh Karthik, the team's designated finisher, eased some pressure with three boundaries in Rashid Khan's over. RCB was left with 15 runs to get in eight overs.
Swapnil hit Noor for two boundaries in the next, leaving RCB with five runs to chase in 42 balls.
RCB ended its innings at 152/6 in 13.4 overs, with Swapnil Singh (15*) and Dinesh Karthik (21*) unbeaten. Joshua Little (4/45) fought incredibly for GT, while Noor Ahmed also got two wickets for 23 runs.
Earlier, a crucial 61-run partnership between David Miller and Shahrukh Khan followed by Rahul Tewatia's blitz cameo propelled Gujarat Titans (GT) to 147 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru after RCB pacers ran wreaked havoc on GT batters in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
Yash Dayal was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped two wickets, conceding just 21 while Mohammed Siraj also bagged two. Cameron Green, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Karn Sharma claimed one wicket each.
Miller (30) along with Shahrukh (37) knitted a partnership of 61 in just 37 deliveries for the fourth wicket and brought some life into the Gujarat innings while Rahul Tewatia slammed 35 runs and Rashid Khan scored 18 to take GT's total to 147.
Opted to bowl first, Mohammed Siraj gave Gujarat double blows early in the match as he removed Wriddhiman Saha for 1 in the 2nd over and GT captain Shubman Gill for 2.
In the 6th over, Cameron Green bagged the wicket in his first over and sent back the in-form Sai Sudharsan. After being three wickets down, David Miller and Shahrukh Khan led GT's recovery as the duo slammed big shots at regular intervals.
However, Karn Sharma ended Gujarat's fightback as he broke the 61-run partnership, removing Miller for 30. In the 13th over, Virat Kohli exhibited an excellent display of fielding as his direct hit ran out the well-set batter Shahrukh Khan for 37.
In the 16th over Rahul Tewatia smoked Karn for 19 runs, smashing 4,6,4,4, giving Gujarat hope of a competitive total. The duo of Tewatia and Rashid Khan kept the scoreboard ticking for their team before Yash dismissed the Afghanistan player for 18.
Yash in the same over stuck again as he removed dangerous batter Tewatia for 35 runs. In the last over, Vijaykumar Vyshak gave GT a double blow as he removed Manav Suthar and Vijay Shankar to bundle out Gujarat to 147.
Brief score: Gujarat Titans 147 in 19.3 overs (Shahrukh Khan 37, Rahul Tewatia 35; Yash Dayal 2-23) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 152/6 (Faf Du Plessis 64, Virat Kohli 42, Josh Little 4/45)
