For the fifth time in the IPL history, RCB lost the eliminator after qualifying in the top four.
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Lomror scored 30s by which RCB reached a respectable total but it was never enough right from the start.
RCB came into the IPL 2024 Eliminator with six successive wins behind them, and RR with five successive winless games. But there is no such thing as momentum in sport, and certainly not in a sport as fickle as T20.
Rajasthan Royal won the toss which was a very crucial one and bowled up to expectations to stop RCB on 172. Especially on a venue where dew is a never neglectable factor.
It was a two-end game as well. In Ahmedabad, one square boundary was noticeably longer than the other, and the RR bowlers took excellent advantage of this asymmetry. In their odd-numbered overs, the right-hand batter’s lengthier boundary was to the leg side, and the RCB scored 51 for 6 from one end and 121 for 2 from the other.
Even when RR batted, there was still an imbalance: one end scored 111 for 1 in 10 overs, while the other scored 63 for 5 in 9 overs. Though not significantly different, RR benefited from having right-left couples occupy the crease longer than RCB did.
Ultimately, the decisive factor was the overall amount that RCB staked. Their captain, Faf du Plessis, acknowledged that they were short by roughly twenty runs. He thought the pitch was a 180 when RCB batted and a much higher-scoring one when RR chased because of the moisture.
RR is now through to Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on Friday. For RCB, this is another trophyless season but one that will be remembered fondly for many years to come.
RR will now play Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on Friday in Qualifier 2. Although RCB will not be winning any trophies this season, it will be remembered with great affection for many years to come.