Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stayed alive in the IPL 2024 playoffs with a comprehensive 47-run victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday (May 12).
Invited to bat first, RCB posted 187/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Rajat Patidar was the top scorer with 52 off 32 balls while Will Jacks (41 off 29), Cameron Green (32* off 24) and Virat Kohli (27 off 13) made vital contributions with the bat.
In reply, Delhi’s innings folded for a paltry 140 in 19.1 overs. Yash Dayal was the pick of the bowlers for RCB as he took three wickets by conceding 20 runs in his 3.1 overs. Lockie Ferguson (2/23), Cameron Green (1/19) and Mohammed Siraj (1/33) also returned with impressive bowling figures.
After the game, RCB skipper Faf du Plessis lauded his team's performance, highlighting their strength and unity.
Du Plessis also spoke about how the team found its mojo in the second half of the tournament, having won five consecutive matches.
"Brilliant, we have put up a great performance. It's just confidence. First half of the season, we were just fighting for it. First five or six games, we couldn't get wickets, now three times or so we have bowled opposition out. Sometimes people talk about match-ups but then you just have a left-hander with the ball spinning in, you hope things work out. Swapnil's done well. Lot of work has gone behind the scenes. I feel like behind closed doors, we are getting it right, we are talking about our process and what we need to achieve," Du Plessis said at the post-match presentation.
RCB have been bowling out teams fairly regularly, and the captain attributed it to the variety of bowling options in his armoury.
“I feel there is a lot of variety in bowling as a skipper, six-seven options, you assess the conditions and see what you can do. Yash has been an exception. Lockie has been brilliant. Both [batting and bowling] needs to have a full crack. We want to be bold. Even today, we played swing up front and bounce upfront, we had 60-odd in powerplay, guys are pushing," Du Plessis added.
RCB will have a five-day break before they face Chennai Super Kings in what could turn out to be a do-or-die contest at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 18.
