Rajat Patidar, who is now playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, transformed the game for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru against the Chennai Super Kings, according to former India spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Despite winning just one of their first seven games of the season, RCB became the first team to qualify for the playoffs, ending CSK’s title defence.
In a rain-affected match, the duo of Virat Kohli and skipper Faf du Plessis forged a 78-run stand. Their partnership provided the base for RCB to put on a total which would help them reach the final four.
After Kohli’s dismissal, Patidar came in and struck 41 off just 23 deliveries on a surface which came in the aid of spinners. After the rain, the pitch offered a good deal of turn to the spinners.
Patidar smacked four maximums into the stands and picked two boundaries to help RCB put 218/5 on the board.
“Kohli and Faf did well to not lose wickets at the time when the ball was spinning a lot just after the rain. This is a win I can’t describe. I think Rajat Patidar changed the game with his knock. Cameron Green was in red-hot form,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
After mounting a strong resistance, CSK was poised to score 201 runs, surpassing RCB’s net run rate. MS Dhoni struck a 110-meter six to clear the entire stadium with 17 runs needed in the last over.
However, Dayal maintained his composure and responded by taking out Dhoni, pushing RCB one step closer to the playoff championship. RCB won by 27 runs thanks to his reliance on slower back-of-the-hand deliveries, which saw him give up only one run in the next four balls.
“Yash Dayal became the superhero, after taking Dhoni’s wicket he just conceded one run in four balls which was incredible,” Harbhajan added.
RCB will finish the group stage in the fourth spot with 14 points and a net run rate of 0.459. Their opponent for the Eliminator clash is yet to be decided.