Rajasthan Royals Edge Past Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL Eliminator

Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious in a thrilling Eliminator match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, securing a spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Qualifier 2. After restricting RCB to 172/8, RR's batters faced a mid-innings slump, allowing RCB to regain momentum. However, the 2008 champions rallied to secure a four-wicket win with an over to spare.

Chasing 173, RR's innings was anchored by Riyan Parag (36 off 26), who showcased resilience in a challenging situation. Shimron Hetmyer (26 off 14) also played a crucial role, while Rovman Powell (16 not out) provided the finishing touches in a tense finish.

Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal (45 off 30) provided RR with a solid start, hitting four fours in the third over. However, Lockie Ferguson dismissed Tom Kohler-Cadmore (20) to give RCB their first breakthrough. Jaiswal's innings was cut short due to the extreme heat, and Karn Sharma dealt a further blow by stumping Sanju Samson (17).

RCB continued to make inroads, with Dhruv Jurel (8) being run out after a brilliant effort from Virat Kohli and Cameron Green. RR's pressure intensified in the 15th over, but Hetmyer and Parag responded with a six each and a four to collect 17 runs.

Rajasthan Royals' bowling effort was equally impressive. Trent Boult (4-0-16-1) produced an economical opening spell, while Ravichandran Ashwin (4-0-19-2) claimed the wickets of Green and Glenn Maxwell on consecutive deliveries. Avesh Khan (3/44) also contributed with three wickets.

RR's fielders provided excellent support, particularly Rovman Powell, who took two stunning catches to halt RCB's progress.

Tags: #IPL2023, #Eliminator, #RajasthanRoyals, #RoyalChallengersBengaluru, #RiyanParag