In the Indian Premier regular (IPL), it has never occurred that a club may qualify for the playoffs even after losing seven of their first eight regular games of the season. However, on Saturday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made history by ruining the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) celebration. And what it meant to the local supporters was demonstrated by the events that followed on Bengaluru’s streets.
Thanks to contributions from all across the batting order, including captain Faf du Plessis’s 39-ball 54 on a challenging M Chinnaswamy surface, RCB restricted CSK to 191 for 7 after amassing a respectable 218 for 5. This resulted in a 27-run victory.
That’s not the whole tale, though; RCB paceman Yash Dayal (2/43) controlled his composure in the match’s last over to restrict the five-time winners. CSK needed to hit 201 to qualify for the playoffs.
RCB’s total of points reached 14, the same as CSK’s, but the Bengaluru team outscored CSK in the net run-rate category to secure fourth place.
On the field, it caused joyous celebrations as an emotional Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma wept in the stands.
Following that heartfelt celebration within the stadium, supporters poured into Bengaluru’s streets to celebrate the victory; footage of those wild events quickly went viral online.
