Rajasthan Royals finally have a win in the month of May and the way their campaign has gone and how it was seemingly shaping up of late, it couldn't have come on a better occasion, than a knockout where there was everything to play for in the 2024 edition of the IPL. It felt like this team hadn't won a game for a long time as they were making a meal of a run-chase, just when they were in a position to dominate, they would lose a wicket but the Royals had enough in the tank to get over the line and move further in the tournament.
It was a very rusty chase and you could gather from how they were going after the target that this was the team, which was low on confidence and that they weren't able to get the results in their last few games in the run up to the playoffs. They were here because of the performances in the first half and a bit after that and now performed up to the potential with one of their main members Shimron Hetmyer returning and the West Indian had a part to play, with the bat later on.
Rovman Powell and R Ashwin were in the middle at the end rather fittingly as the two senior pros had a part to play in the game, especially in the first half, rather decisively. Ashwin was splendid with the ball as he picked up two crucial wickets of the Australians Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell at a crucial juncture. The ball was probably was following the West Indies T20 captain today in the field as Powell ended up taking four catches in the game.
It all started with that crucial dismissal of RCB skipper Faf du Plessis as Powell had to dive forward to complete a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket. Du Plessis and Virat Kohli had stitched a good little partnership at the start and the Royals desperately needed a breakthrough.
A catch drop of Rajat Patidar and an umpiring error against retiring Dinesh Karthik didn't help the Royals but they also didn't cost as much as they could with Avesh Khan getting both of them out. Mahipal Lomror played a nice handy knock of 17-ball 32 to push RCB's score beyond 170, but on a surface where dew had already set in, the Royals fancied their chance to chase it down.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Yashasvi Jaiswal got off to a decent start but it wasn't as rapid as they would have liked. A couple of overs after the powerplay gave the push they required. Losing both Jaiswal and skipper Sanju Samson threatened to derail the Royals' train yet again. But Riyan Parag held one end up and hit a couple of crucial sixes with Hetmyer and Powell providing the finishing touches.
As Ashwin and Samson said, it may not be the best way to chase the target but the win and what it will do to the confidence of the team will keep them in good stead in the second qualifier on Friday, May 24 in Chennai against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The game also marked the swansong for Dinesh Karthik, who finished his IPL career and in some way.
