RCB storm into playoffs, beat CSK by 27 runs in its last group match

BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made a fairytale comeback in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season by securing a spot in the playoffs by defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 27 runs at Bengaluru on Saturday.

With this win, RCB (14 points) finished fourth in the points table with seven wins and seven losses. With seven wins and seven losses, CSK also has 14 points, but because of a poorer net-run rate, it dropped to fifth place.

Batting first, RCB managed to put up a score of 218/5 in 20 overs. In reply, CSK managed to score only 191 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. Chennai could have made it to the playoffs if it had scored 201 runs.

CSK was off to a poor start as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed for a golden duck by Glenn Maxwell. RCB got the wicket on the very first ball of the innings. The duo of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell attempted to rebuild the innings. However, a poor shot by Mitchell gave RCB his wicket for just four runs. Ajinkya Rahane joined forces with Ravindra, keeping the run rate going with some fine boundaries. In the ninth over, pacer Lockie Ferguson removed a well-settled Rahane for 33 in 22 balls.

Ravindra opened the shackles, with some fours and sixes on an over by Lockie. He also reached his maiden IPL fifty in 31 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. However, RCB soon got the important wicket of Ravindra, as he was run out by Mahipal Lomror and Dinesh Karthik for 61 in 37 balls. In the 14th over, Cameron Green took the ball and got RCB the huge wicket of a struggling Dube. RCB continued to get back in the game, getting Santner for three runs. MS Dhoni was the next batter on the crease. Ravindra Jadeja and MS continued to keep CSK in the hunt, reaching the 150-run mark in 16.5 overs. With some fine boundaries and sixes, Jadeja-MS kept CSK's hopes alive, bringing them to 166/6 in 18 overs, needing 35 runs to secure the playoff spot. In the last over, the duo of Dhoni and Jadeja brought down the equation to 17 runs in the final over for qualification.

Yash Dayal started the over by conceding a six but got MS's wicket on the next ball. Dhoni scored 25 in 13 balls, with three fours and a six. RCB successfully secured the playoff spot, restricting CSK to 191/7, with Jadeja (42*) and Shardul Thakur (1*) unbeaten. Dayal (2/42) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB. Lockie, Green, Maxwell, and Siraj took a wicket each.