Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pulled off a remarkable turnaround in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) as they secured a spot in the playoffs after a thrilling victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 27 runs. Despite a shaky start to the season with seven losses in their first eight matches, RCB managed to string together six consecutive wins to book their place in the knockout stage.
In a must-win game, RCB posted a challenging total of 218 runs and then successfully defended it by restricting CSK to 191/7. The hero of the match was Faf du Plessis, who not only scored a quickfire 54 runs but also took a stunning catch to dismiss Mitchell Santner. However, the South African skipper decided to dedicate his Player of the Match award to young bowler Yash Dayal.
Dayal had a memorable outing, picking up crucial wickets including that of Daryl Mitchell and MS Dhoni in the final over when CSK needed 11 runs off five balls. Du Plessis praised Dayal’s performance, calling it unbelievable and deserving of recognition.
Reflecting on the challenging pitch conditions, du Plessis commended his team’s effort in scoring 218 runs on a surface that offered assistance to spinners. He described the pitch as one of the hardest he had ever played on and credited the batters for their intent and strike rate in the last six games.
RCB’s remarkable journey in the IPL 2024 season has been a testament to their resilience and determination, setting the stage for an exciting playoff campaign.