Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed into yet another IPL summit clash, crushing Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday as skipper Rajat Patidar produced a devastating unbeaten 93 off 33 balls and his pace attack dismantled the opposition inside the powerplay to keep their title defence firmly on track.
Asked to bat first, RCB stacked up a formidable 254 for five, with Patidar unleashing one of the most punishing innings of the tournament, repeatedly finding the rope with apparent nonchalance after surviving early chances.
The RCB captain went into overdrive at the death, brutalising the GT bowlers and propelling his side past the 250 mark in style. Patidar completely altered the course of the match, hammering nine sixes and five fours
after benefiting from two dropped catches, as RCB ransacked 86 runs in the final five overs to take an iron grip on proceedings. In fact, they collected 114 runs from the last six overs.
Set a towering target, Gujarat Titans required a blazing launch but their chase unravelled quickly inside the powerplay with both in-form openers dismissed for modest scores.
Sai Sudharsan’s exit was a freak moment as his bat slipped out of his hands while he attempted a stroke off Jacob Duffy (3/39) and flew back onto the stumps, leaving him bewildered on 14.
A bigger blow followed when skipper Shubman Gill was bowled by the in-form Bhuvneshwar Kumar for just two, the experienced seamer once again underlining his class with the new ball.
Bhuvneswar (2/28) showed that he still is an asset for any team. He is now a Purple Cap holder with 26 scalps. Those twin strikes left Gujarat reeling against a relentless RCB pace unit.
Josh Hazlewood (1/39) joined the party by knocking over Jos Buttler (29), while Rasikh Salam delivered a decisive final powerplay over, removing Nishant Sandhu (5) and Jason Holder (0) to leave the Titans tottering at 51 for five.
What had been billed as a clash of equals quickly turned one-sided as a rattled GT appeared to crumble under the weight of the scoreboard.
Washington Sundar (8) and impact player Rahul Tewatiya (68) walked in facing a near-impossible equation. With the task already spiralling out of reach, the contest drifted towards inevitability.
Eventually, GT folded for 162, sending RCB into their fifth final (2009, 2011, 2016, 2025, 2026).
GT, the 2022 champions, will have another opportunity to reach the final on Friday when they face the winner of the Eliminator between Rajasthan Royal and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Earlier, RCB’s innings exploded from the outset as Venkatesh Iyer (19) went after Mohammed Siraj with fearless strokeplay, cracking three early boundaries before Kagiso Rabada removed him for 19 shortly after being dispatched for a six.
Rabada’s fiery spell also featured a compelling tussle with Virat Kohli, as he challenged the star batter with steep bounce and pace, but the RCB stalwart rode out the examination to compile a brisk 43. Partnering Devdutt Padikkal (30), Kohli kept RCB’s tempo high, steering them to a commanding 76 for one in the powerplay.
GT responded by tightening the screws through disciplined middle-overs bowling.
Rashid Khan sent down frugal overs, while Jason Holder struck twice in the space of three deliveries to dismiss Kohli and Padikkal, significantly slowing RCB’s progress. Kulwant Khejroliya also began with control, giving Titans a sense that they had wrested back some initiative.
The momentum flipped dramatically in the 14th over, though, when Patidar, on 18 and 20, was put down twice off Prasidh Krishna. GT’s fielding fell apart thereafter as Khejroliya conceded 28 in an error-strewn over that included misfields, two no-balls and a wide.
Patidar showed no mercy, launching into both Khejroliya and Rashid Khan, while Krunal Pandya offered firm support in a blistering 95-run stand. Krunal’s 43 ended when Rabada broke the partnership, but by then Patidar had decisively wrested the initiative for RCB.
The RCB captain reached his fifty with a six off Rabada and sustained the onslaught until the close, ensuring the defending champions posted one of the highest totals in IPL playoff history.
(With PTI Inputs)
