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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. Kagiso Rabada struck in the following over, dismissing Venkatesh Iyer for 19 and bringing Devdutt Padikkal to the crease. 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. However, Jason Holder provided a crucial breakthrough in the ninth over, striking twice to remove both Kohli and Padikkal in a major blow to RCB. Skipper Rajat Patidar and all-rounder Krunal Pandya steadied Royal Challengers Bengaluru's innings with a crucial partnership after the middle-order setbacks. The duo then shifted gears dramatically in the 15th over, hammering Kulwant Khejroliya for 28 runs to power RCB past the 150-run mark. 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 and sending him back to the pavilion, bringing Tim David to the crease. However, Patidar continued his aggressive approach, taking on Rabada for 15 runs to bring up a blistering half-century in just 21 balls. Prasidh Krishna then broke the partnership in the 18th over by dismissing Tim David for just 4, bringing Jitesh Sharma to the crease. Sharma and Patidar smoked Siraj for 21 runs in the 19th over, to take RCB's score to 235. Sharma and Patidar continued their assault in the final over as they slammed Krishna for 19 runs in the final over to power RCB to a massive 254/5. (ANI)
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