The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have triumphed over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with a 27-run victory, securing their spot in the IPL 2024 playoffs.
During the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the game was played under overcast skies with a constant threat of rain. CSK faced a daunting target of 219 and needed 201 to secure a playoff spot. As the game progressed, it seemed like CSK was losing grip after being 129/6 in 15 overs. However, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni reignited the chase, bringing them tantalizingly close to victory. They required just 17 runs from the final over, to be bowled by left-arm pacer Yash Dayal.
The legendary MS Dhoni then smashed a knee-high full toss on the leg-stump for a massive 110-meter six on the first delivery of the final over. This colossal hit reduced the equation to 11 runs needed off the remaining five balls. According to RCB wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, this monstrous six might have been CSK’s undoing.
Dayal’s attempted yorker slipped due to the wet conditions, resulting in the full toss that Dhoni launched onto the roof of the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The umpires had to replace the ball with a new, dry one, which might have given Dayal a better grip. This change proved crucial as Dayal executed a series of slower deliveries perfectly. The very next ball, a well-disguised back-of-the-hand slower delivery, caused Dhoni to mistime his shot, leading to a catch by Swapnil Singh at deep square leg.
This catch turned the tide in RCB’s favor, as the remaining four deliveries yielded only a single run, allowing RCB to pull off a remarkable victory and secure their playoff spot.
“The best thing to happen today was Dhoni hitting that six outside the ground (because) we got a new ball, which was much better (drier) to bowl with,” Karthik was heard saying in the dressing room in a video posted by RCB.
“Smile, enjoy, drink, party, have fun… We have within our grasp to do something, where people will remember us for many many decades,” he concluded.
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