Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 26 : Magnificent bowling from pacers and a sensational knock from skipper Rajat Patidar helped defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cruise to their second successive Indian Premier League (IPL) final, beating Gujarat Titans (GT) by 92 runs at Dharamsala on Tuesday.
With this win, RCB will be taking a shot at their second successive IPL title. GT, despite their loss, will get a chance at redemption as they will play the winner of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) eliminator for the second final spot in the Qualifier two on Friday.
RCB put on 254/5 on the back of fiery performances from skipper Rajat Patidar (93* in 33 balls, with five fours and nine sixes), Virat Kohli (43 in 25 balls, with five fours and a six) and Krunal Pandya (43 in 28 balls, with five fours and two sixes). In the chase, GT's batting fell like a pack of cards, with Rahul Tewatia (68 in 43 balls, with eight fours and four sixes) and Jos Buttler (29 in 11 balls, with three fours and two sixes) being the only ones crossing 20-run mark as GT skittled out for 162 runs. Jacob Duffy (3/39) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/28) broke through GT's consistent top-order and it was only downwards for the Titans from there.
During the run-chase, GT opener Sai Sudharsan started off with two fours on first two balls of the innings against Jacob Duffy.
Just when Sudharsan looked good enough for a big knock, he got out in an unlucky way, with the bat slipping out of his hands as he started running after playing his shot. GT was 17/1 in 2.3 overs.
Jos Buttler started off with a bang, dispatching Duffy for a four and six, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar rattled Bhuvneshwar Kumar's stumps for two in seven balls to deliver another big blow. GT was 27/2 in 3.1 overs.
Nishant Sindhu and Buttler attempted a counter-attack, with Buttler smashing Josh Hazlewood for four, six and four, bringing the 50-run mark in 4.4 overs. The bowler ended up with the last laugh, cleaning up Buttler for 11-ball 29 (with three sixes and two sixes). GT was 51/3 in 4.5 overs.
Rasikh Salam Dar gave GT two more jolts, removing Sindhu (5) and Jason Holder (0), ending GT's powerplay at 51/5 in six overs.
Duffy got his second wicket, perhaps ending GT's hopes with fall of Washington Sundar for a run-a-ball eight. GT sunk to 65/6 in 8.2 overs.
GT's downfall continued as Rashid was became Duffy's third victim for eight runs, while Krunal Pandya removed Kagiso Rabada for nine. GT was 88/8 in 11.2 overs.
Rahul Tewatia and Mohammed Siraj took GT past the 100-run mark in 12.2 overs, with the only positive of the match for GT being Tewatia getting some batting practice and reaching a fifty in 33 balls, with six fours and three sixes.
Bhuvneshwar finally got rid off Tewatia for a 43-ball 68, with a fine catch from skipper Patidar. Tewatia's knock had eight fours and four sixes, with GT sinking to 156/9 in 18.1 overs.
Duffy (3/39) was the leading wicket-taker, while Bhuvneshwar, Rasikh and Krunal got two each. Hazlewood also managed a wicket.
Earlier, a blistering knock from Rajat Patidar, backed by crucial contributions from Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal and Krunal Pandya, powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a mammoth 254/5 against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League at Dharamsala on Tuesday.
RCB also scripted history by registering the highest total ever in an IPL playoff/knockout match, surpassing GT's 233/3 against the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad in 2023.
Patidar led the charge with a sensational 93 off just 33 deliveries, while Kohli chipped in with 43, Padikkal scored a brisk 30, and Venkatesh Iyer added 19, laying the foundation for RCB's explosive finish.
Asked to bat first, Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli opened the innings for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Iyer got off to an aggressive start, taking on Mohammed Siraj and smashing 14 runs in the opening over, including three fours.
Kagiso Rabada struck in the following over, dismissing Venkatesh Iyer for 19 in six balls and bringing Devdutt Padikkal to the crease. RCB was 21/1 in two overs. Padikkal counterattacked immediately, hammering Rabada for three consecutive boundaries in the fourth over.
Padikkal and Virat Kohli then dominated the Gujarat Titans bowlers, powering Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 76/1 at the end of the Powerplay, with Virat (34*) and Padikkal (23*) unbeaten. In the final over of powerplay, Virat took down Rabada with two fours and a six.
However, Jason Holder provided a crucial breakthrough in the ninth over, striking twice to remove both Kohli (43 in 25 balls, with five fours and a six) and Padikkal (30 in 19 balls, with five fours) in a major blow to RCB, who were down to 94/3 in 8.4 overs.
Skipper Rajat Patidar and all-rounder Krunal Pandya steadied Royal Challengers Bengaluru's innings with a crucial partnership after the middle-order setbacks, taking RCB to 100-run mark in 10.1 overs.
The duo then shifted gears dramatically in the 15th over, hammering Kulwant Khejroliya for 28 runs to power RCB past the 150-run mark, which included four boundaries and a six.
The duo continued their assault, taking on veteran spinner Rashid Khan and smashing him for 21 runs in the following over. However, in the 17th over, Kagiso Rabada struck again, dismissing Krunal Pandya (43 in 25 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and sending him back to the pavilion, bringing Tim David to the crease. RCB was 189/4 in 16.1 overs.
However, Patidar continued his aggressive approach, taking on Rabada for 15 runs to bring up a blistering half-century in just 21 balls, with three fours and five sixes. RCB reached the 200-run mark in 16.4 overs.
Prasidh Krishna then broke the partnership in the 18th over by dismissing Tim David for just 4, bringing Jitesh Sharma to the crease. RCB sunk to 214/5 in 18 overs.
Sharma and Patidar smoked Siraj for 21 runs in the 19th over, to take RCB's score to 235, collecting two fours and sixes. Sharma and Patidar continued their assault in the final over as they slammed Krishna for 19 runs, including two sixes from Patidar in the final over to power RCB to a massive 254/5.
Kagiso Rabada (2/39) was the pick of the bowlers for GT. Holder also got two wickets.
Brief Scores: RCB: 254/5 (Rajat Patidar 93*, Virat Kohli 43, Kagiso Rabada 2/39) beat GT: 162 in 19.3 overs (Rahul Tewatia 68, Jos Buttler 29, Jacob Duffy 3/39).