Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) set a gigantic target of 255 for the Gujarat Titans (GT). Rajat Patidar led from the front as his belligerent knock of 93 in 33 balls set the tone for RCB. GT’s bowlers had a rare off day who weren’t able to make a mark on the surface, as Shubman Gill’s captaincy was a bit clueless.
RCB off to blistering start in powerplay overs
After being asked to bat first, Venkatesh Iyer took on Mohammed Siraj in the opening over for 3 fours. The contest between Kagiso Rabada & Virat Kohli in the 2nd over was quite exhilarating. Rabada continuously hit hard lengths as he beat Virat three times consecutively. Rabada though tricked Venkatesh Iyer (19 in 7), who wanted to go for consecutive boundaries as RCB’s score was 21-1 in 2 overs.
Virat Kohli & Devdutt Padikkal then unleashed an attack on GT’s bowlers. In the 4th over, Rabada was taken to the cleaners as he conceded 18 runs & RCB got to their 50 runs in 24 balls. Even Jason Holder couldn’t stop the flow of runs. The way Virat took on Rabada in the last over of the powerplay overs was breathtaking as his footwork and timing were flawless. RCB scored 76-1 in 6 overs
Rajat Patidar ups the ante amid GT’s comeback in the middle overs
The middle overs phase was quite pivotal for both teams. Virat & Padikkal made sure that they kept the scoreboard ticking. Shubman Gill gave Jason Holder back-to-back 3rd overs, which was quite shocking. Holder castled stumps of Virat (43 in 25, smashed 5 fours and 1 six) by bowling a bumper delivery, as the dismissal was quite identical to the previous match of RCB vs GT at Bengaluru. Holder then bowled a peach of a delivery to Padikkal (30 in 19, hitting 5 fours), who knicked it to Buttler. All of a sudden, RCB’s score was 94-3 in 8.4 overs.
Skipper Rajat Patidar didn’t allow Holder to trouble him with his short deliveries as his attacking game plan gave confidence to Krunal Pandya in 11th over as well. RCB’s score was 112-3 in 11 overs. Slowly & steadily, Krunal & Patidar changed the complexion of the match. The surface was quite placid as GT bowlers had to toil a.
Rajat Patidar was dropped on 20 by Kagiso Rabada at deep square leg on the bowling of Prasidh Krishna when RCB’s score was 134-3 in 13.2 overs. Kulwant Khejroliya had a terrible over who bowled two no-balls in the 15th over as he gave away an astonishing 28 runs in his over. RCB’s score had a huge raise as their score was 168-3 in 15 overs.
Rajat Patidar’s carnage in death overs
Rajat Patidar made GT pay a lot. In the 16th over, Rashid Khan was clobbered by both Rajat & Krunal for mammoth sixes as all variations were proving to be ineffective. Rabada, though, gave some relief to GT as he got rid of Krunal (43 in 28, smashing 5 fours and 2 sixes) in the 17th over. Patidar wasn’t bothered with the dismissal of Krunal, who continued his onslaught. It felt as if Patidar was smashing a club team as he got to his half-century in 21 balls.
There were high hopes from Tim David, but Prasidh Krishna’s wicket-to-wicket line & lengths and yorkers bamboozled David, who was clean bowled. At the end of 18 overs, RCB’s score was 214-5. Siraj tried a yorker but failed in the 19th over as Patidar made good use of the crease, as he was ready for all sorts of variations. RCB finished on a whooping 254-5 in 20 overs as Rajat Patidar’s captain’s knock of 93 in 33 balls (*5 fours and 9 sixes) stole the show from GT’s bowlers. It was surprising that Siraj didn’t bowl his entire quota of overs, as did Rashid.
Who’s winning, RCB or GT
255 is a huge score in Qualifier 1, we can say. GT depends heavily on Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler & Shubman Gill, as one of them has to get a ton if GT wants to win this match. RCB have the services of Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar & Duffy as the pace trio can inflict havoc at the start of powerplay overs. RCB looks the favorite to win the match unless something extraordinary happens, as GT haven’t chased down 230+ target in IPL till date.
Also Read:Â RCB vs GT: Rajat Patidar Warns GT Team