Match 68 of the Indian Premier League witnessed a miraculous encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as the Chennai Super Kings saw their playoff spot snatched away by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru who managed to restrict the 5-time champions to just 191/7 on the night.

ValoRAnt! 5⃣0⃣💪🏻#RCBvCSK #WhistlePodu #Yellove🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/juJhEYB5EL

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— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 18, 2024

RCB Post 218/5 At Home

RCB openers Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis started strong, aiming for a total of around 200 with both playing excellent cricket shots from the beginning. However, play was halted due to rain, which had been forecasted in advance for Bengaluru.

When play resumed, the pitch began to offer more turn, with spinners Mitchell Santner and Ravindra Jadeja slowing down the game and causing frustration among the batters. Virat Kohli succumbed to this, losing his wicket to a mistimed shot caught by Daryll Mitchell. Kohli’s 47-run innings made him the first player to score 3000 runs at a single venue in the IPL.

The match saw another twist when Faf du Plessis, who had scored a determined half-century, was controversially run out, sparking a debate online.

Rajat Patidar and Cameron Green then delivered explosive performances, building on the hosts’ strong start and helping RCB reach a competitive total of 218/5 in their 20 overs. Patidar scored 41 off 22 balls, while Green added a fiery 38* runs

RCB Secure Final Playoff Berth

In reply, all CSK needed was to score at least 201 runs to reach the playoffs because of their superior run-rate than the Challengers in the points table. However, it wasn’t a dream start as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad got himself out on the very first ball of the 2nd innings as Glenn Maxwell put early pressure on the 5-time champions.

Rachin Ravindra, who didn’t perform too well in the previous matches scored a brilliant 61 off just 37 balls but had to depart because of a silly run-out in the 13th over.

With Shivam Dube also departing cheaply, it was Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner who were looking to get those all-important runs on the board for CSK. However, a stunning catch by Du Plessis saw Santner walk back to the pavilion as well with the score at 129/6 in 15 overs.

In the end, MS Dhoni’s 13-ball 25 along with Ravindra Jadeja’s 42* which took the visitors close to the qualifying score but eventually failed to reach it as RCB completed a miraculous turnaround in front of their home fans to qualify for the playoffs.

Also Read: IPL 2024: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Set 219-Run Target For CSK In Knockout Tie