New Delhi: After near-misses and persistent rebuilding over 18 seasons, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru stand just one win away—for the fourth time—from finally turning hope into history.
On Thursday, Captain Rajat Patidar sealed the deal in style, smashing a towering six off Musheer Khan of Punjab Kings on the final ball of the tenth over to secure RCB a spot in the Indian Premier League final, after a gap of nine years.
RCB are yet to win the IPL, despite reaching the final thrice (2009, 2011, 2016). The final is scheduled to be held on 3 June in Ahmedabad.
In the first Qualifier match Thursday in Chandigarh, the Patidar-led side registered an eight-wicket win over PBKS in 60 balls. PBKS, who reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014, will get another shot at making it to the final in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad Sunday.
Also Read: Shreyas Iyer is in peak form. Selectors will regret dropping him from England tour
Deadly bowling attack
Choosing to field after winning the toss, RCB bowlers dismantled Punjab’s line-up, bundling them out for just 101 runs in 14.1 overs. Only Marcus Stoinis offered some resistance for PBKS, scoring 26 runs off 17 balls with two fours and two sixes.
Besides him, only Prabhsimran Singh (18 off 10) and Azmatullah Omarzai (18 off 12) managed to hit double figures. The Kings’ key line-up, including captain Shreyas Iyer (2), Josh Inglis (4) and Nehal Wadhera (8) could not make their bats roar.
They lost their first wicket, opener Priyansh Arya, for just nine runs, after which the innings never really picked up. After seven overs, the score stood at fifty runs for five wickets. Although Stoinis and Omarzai tried to salvage the innings towards the end, they could not take the team to a solid total.
RCB’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Josh Hazlewood, who claimed three wickets for 21 runs in 3.1 overs. Yash Dayal contributed with two wickets for 26 runs in four overs, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Romario Shepherd chipped in with a wicket each.
Suyash Sharma, who has had a rather quiet season, rose to the occasion with his to-the-wicket bowling and consistent googlies. He claimed three wickets, conceding just 17 runs in three overs. He even bagged the ‘Player of the Match’ award. He is the ninth RCB player to have won the award this season.
The RCB batters raced to the total in 10 overs, with eight wickets in hand. PBKS’s Kyle Jamieson did manage to build some pressure, delivering a maiden over, including the wicket of Virat Kohli (12 off 12), who once again fell victim to a ball outside off-stump. However, by then, RCB had already knocked 30 runs off the modest target.
After a tight spell of disciplined bowling, the moment Punjab slipped up, Phil Salt pounced, and Jamieson’s next over was torn apart for 21 runs.
But, all hope is not lost for the Kings. They may get another opportunity to play RCB in the final, if they win the second Qualifier, where they will lock horns with the winner of the Eliminator round, set between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. “We have lost the battle, not the war,” said Iyer in the post-match commentary.
Meanwhile, Patidar thanked the fans for their support and vowed to celebrate together after one more win. “I always thank RCB fans, not only in Chinnaswamy, but wherever we go, we feel it’s our home ground. We love you, so keep supporting us. One more game and let’s celebrate together,” he said.
Reignited hopes
For years, Team RCB has boasted of star-studded line-ups, featuring Anil Kumble, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis and more. Despite reaching the finals three times, the coveted IPL trophy has always remained elusive for it.
RCB lost the IPL 2016 final to Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight runs, were beaten by Chennai Super Kings in 2011, and suffered defeat against the Deccan Chargers in 2009.
Over the years, RCB has been known for its explosive batting, dramatic matches, and has had among the most loyal fan bases in the league. Each season, year after year, has reignited the hopes of millions of fans that the team would break their title drought, only to end in disappointment. The team’s resurgence and strong performances in the current season have once again sparked hope.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
Also Read: A batting blitz, ‘notebook’ & chaos. When Rathi-Abhishek on-field antics became IPL’s talking point