"Stubbs' wicket was crucial to us...": RCB's Green on win over DC in IPL

RCB continued with their second-half surge, making it five wins in five matches and climbing up to the fifth spot with a 47-run win over DC at their home ground of M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. After losing seven of the first eight league games, RCB has turned their season around with five successive wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Cameron Green secured the 'Player of the Match' award for his knock of 32*, figures of 1/19 in four overs and a run-out of in-form Tristan Stubbs.

Speaking in a video by the official handle of the Indian Premier League on X, featuring batter Rajat Patidar, Green said, "I think everyone has got a bit of confidence now. Things kind of go your way at certain times. And we have got a bit of luck tonight. I think with the Fraser-Gurk run out, I think that was pretty crucial for us. So we will take the luck and move to the next game."

https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1789890818934714505

Green said that when RCB got some early wickets while defending 188 runs, the crowd at the M Chinnnaswamy Stadium, the team's home ground, got really loud and it was a great feeling to experience.

"We know how good Stubbs been this year and I think chasing such a small total compared to other games this year, he was a pretty crucial wicket, so it was a good feeling (to run out Stubbs).

Speaking about the side's last league game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 18, which could decide the team's fate regarding playoffs, Green said, "We have had a pretty big tournament so far, so we are not going to think about it too much the next few days. And then I think two or three days beforehand, we'll start getting into it. Training to face, you know, they have got great spinners. So I think we have got to prepare for that and yeah, they are a very good team. So, a few days off and then we will focus on them later."

Patidar, who contributed a valuable knock of 52 in the match, coming in just 23 balls, said that when someone gets a boundary that perfectly finds the middle of the bat in the initial stage of innings, it gives a player confidence and idea of how the wicket is working.

"It was a crucial partnership (between him and Jacks) because there were already two wickets. It was important to make a good partnership from there because we thought that if the score was close to 200, it would be good. Because it was not an easy wicket, it was a double-faced wicket. Some bowlers were targeted and played with some planning," said Patidar.

Coming to the match, DC opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Knocks from Rajat Patidar (52 in 32 balls), Will Jacks (41 in 29 balls,), Cameron Green (32* in 24 balls, with one four and two sixes) and Virat Kohli (27) took RCB to 187/9 in their 20 overs.

Rasikh Salam (2/23) and Khaleel Ahmed (2/31) were the pick of the bowlers for DC.

In the run-chase of 188 runs, Delhi was restricted to 30/4 at one point. A partnership of 56 runs between Shai Hope (29 in 23 balls) and Axar Patel helped DC back into the game. Stand-in captain, Axar scored his second half-century of the season, making 57 in 39 balls to keep his side alive. However, RCB bowlers kept the run flow in control and bundled out DC for 140 runs in 19.1 overs, winning by 47 runs.

Yash Dayal (3/20) and Lockie Ferguson (2/23) were among the top bowlers for RCB.

RCB's fifth consecutive win has catapulted them to fifth place on the points table, a position that appeared practically unattainable three weeks ago when they fell by a run to KKR, their sixth defeat in a row. They currently have 12 points, with a potential to reach 14 when they play CSK in their final league game. The Men in Yellow have 14 points. A win in this game might offer them a chance to enter the playoffs, but only if other outcomes go their way since SRH and LSG (two games left for each side, both have 12 points) can both advance to 16 points and knock RCB out. (ANI)