Captain du Plessis, bowlers give RCB a facile win on a lively pitch

Too little too late

If Gujarat Titans had hopes of defending this total, Virat Kohli in the very first over made RCB’s intentions clear with a couple of sixes. And once RCB captain Faf du Plessis’ started his onslaught the former became a spectator. The RCB skipper has blown hot and cold this season, however, with his team chasing 148 runs he was back to his brutal best. He cleared his front leg and slammed the ball all around the ground, taking the hosts to their best powerplay total ever — 92 runs.

Mohit Sharma and Joshua-Little, both being given the new-ball for the first time in this tournament, pitched it up instead of bowling into the green patch, which RCB bowlers had done to reap rewards. And they paid the price. But just when things were looking like a walk in the park for RCB, Little pulled his length back and there was almost a twist in the tale. He first picked up Du Plessis with a short one and then got rid of the RCB middle-order.

While this was unfolding from one end, the batters were unable to pick left-arm spinner Noor Ahmed’s guile from the other. The passage saw RCB lose six wickets for just 25 runs. GT sniffed they had a chance and Gill would set an attacking field for his spinners with men wearing helmets around the bat. However, Dinesh Karthik alongside Swapnil Singh kept their cool to take RCB over the line for a much-needed win.

Bengaluru: Gujrat Titans bowler Joshua Little celebrates after taking the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Faf du Plessis during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujrat Titans, at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Bowler-friendly pitch

The same pitch on which Sunrisers Hyderabad made the highest T20 total ever was used for this game. However, the curator had left a bit of grass and that made all the difference. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who has been out of form, found his mojo with the new ball. Every time the ball was pitched on the green area it swung for RCB’s new-ball bowlers.

Siraj drew first blood by dismissing Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill in his first spell. As soon as the fast bowler saw there was something on offer with the new ball, which has been a rarity this IPL, he was quick to find the ideal length and kept bowling there and troubled the batters through the evening.

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Cameron Green and Mohammed Siraj celebrate the wicket of Gujrat Titans batter Sai Sudharsan during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujrat Titans, at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

The first boundary of GT’s batting innings came in the fourth over, which was an inside edge off Shahrukh Khan’s bat. It summed up the quality of the deliveries RCB bowlers were producing. After a tame 23-run Powerplay, Shahrukh alongside David Miller tried to resurrect the innings by playing a few crunching shots. However, Miller fell to leg-spinner Karn Sharma in the 12th over and Shahrukh followed him the 13th over after suicidal running between the wickets.

Rahul Tewatia played a cameo at the end but a 16-run period where the visitors lost four wickets swung the balance of the game in RCB’s favour.

GT’s poor campaign

Though the Titans started well in the first half of the season they have been sliding down the table quickly in the second half. After winning the trophy in 2022 and reaching the final last year it has been a horror season for them. The side has been scoring at 8.55 runs per over before today, which is the slowest in the league. Saha, the aggressor at the top of the order, for the last couple of seasons, has looked out of depth. And the side’s talisman with the bat, Gill, too has been going through a lean patch. Youngster Sai Sudharsan would play a few innings of substance but those weren’t enough to get them over the line in games. While they are not mathematical out yet things are looking grim for the Titans.

Brief Scores: GT: 147 all out in 19.3 overs (Masood Shahrukh Khan 37, Rahul Tewatia 35; Yash Dayal 2/21, Vijaykumar Vyshak 2/23 and Mohammed Siraj 2/29) lost to RCB: 152 for 6 in 13.4 overs (Faf du Plessis 64, Virat Kohli 42; Josh Little 4/45).

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