Rajasthan triumph in tense IPL eliminator, dashing Bengaluru’s hopes

AHMEDABAD: The IPL 2024 Eliminator was a tale of contrasting fortunes as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) emerged victorious against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), showcasing that momentum in sports, especially in the unpredictable world of T20 cricket, is often an illusion.
RCB entered the match on a high, riding a wave of six consecutive wins, while RR stumbled into the Eliminator with five straight winless games. Despite the stark difference in recent form, it was RR who seized the moment, thanks to crucial tactical decisions and a stellar bowling performance.
Winning the toss proved vital for RR, allowing their bowlers to exploit the conditions effectively. They restricted RCB to a competitive but slightly underwhelming total of 172 at a venue where chasing is notably easier due to the presence of dew. RCB’s innings was characterized by inconsistency, scoring just 51 for 6 in the odd-numbered overs due to the challenge posed by the longer boundary on the leg side for right-handers, compared to 121 for 2 from the other end.
Trent Boult, R Ashwin, and Avesh Khan were instrumental, utilizing the boundary asymmetry to their advantage. Boult and Ashwin, in particular, bowled from the advantageous end, maintaining pressure and picking crucial wickets.
RR’s chase mirrored RCB’s innings in its uneven scoring patterns, managing 111 for 1 from the more favorable end and 63 for 5 from the tougher end. The key difference, however, was their ability to maintain composure during critical phases. Despite losing wickets and facing nervy moments, RR’s right-left batting pairs extended their stay at the crease, aiding in mitigating the boundary length challenges.
Faf du Plessis, RCB’s captain, acknowledged post-match that their total was about 20 runs short, attributing the deficit to the challenging conditions of batting first and the impact of dew during RR’s chase.
In a nail-biting finish, RR needed 13 runs off the final 12 balls. Mohammed Siraj’s double strike in the penultimate over gave RCB a glimmer of hope, but Rovman Powell’s composed hitting sealed the victory for RR. Powell’s edged boundaries off Ferguson and a commanding straight six ensured RR crossed the line with an over to spare.