Royal Challengers Bengaluru climbed to the seventh spot on the IPL 2024 points table with a four wicket win over Gujarat Titans.
Playing at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, RCB put up a comprehensive show as they picked up their third win on the trot.
The hosts put up a commendable fielding effort to bowl out GT for a below par 147. In reply, the RCB openers set up the win with a smashing Powerplay performance.
A look at the best dismissals in Bengaluru on Saturday, April 5, 2024.
Vijaykumar Vyshak
RCB made early inroads thanks to some good catches taken, especially in the outfield.
After Wriddhiman Saha was out after a regulation catch by 'keeper Dinesh Karthik in the second over, GT lost Captain Shubman Gill in the fourth over.
Siraj kept the delivery on length and Gill, cemented in his crease, tried to flick it. He got the leading edge and was caught by Vijaykumar Vyshak.
Vyshak's catching skills were put to the test once again.
GT got an impetus at the backend with Rahul Tewatia turning up the heat on the RCB bowlers.
In the 16th over he had smashed spinner Karn Sharma for 19 runs. Two overs later, Tewatia was done in by a short ball.
A quick short ball, Tewatia was late on the pull, miscued and the top edge went to third man where Vyshak ran to his right, kept his eyes on the ball and dove with his arms outstretched to pocket the catch.
He held onto the ball after hitting the ground and completed a stunning catch.
Virat Kohli
In the final over of the Powerplay, Cameron Green was called into action, and he struck off the third ball of the 6th over.
Sai Sudharsan was done in by a pacy and short delivery as he went for the pull. Stuck in the crease the top edge was grabbed by Kohli at mid off.
GT were in big trouble at 23 for 3 just after the Powerplay overs. They needed a partnership going and Shahrukh Khan and David Miller put on a 50 run stand in quick time to resurrect the GT innings.
In the 12th over Miller was dismissed for 30. GT needed another stand and with Shahrukh and Tewatia at the crease there was every possibility of a big score if they got going.
But Kohli put paid to any such thought when in the 13th over he had Shahrukh run out for 37.
Tewatia dropped the ball towards the off-side and Shahrukh ran down the pitch for a quick run. Tewatia sent him back, but he was well short as Kohli effected a superb direct hit at the bowler's end to end Shahrukh's stay in the middle.
Shahrukh Khan
The RCB openers got off to a rampaging start, putting up their best show in the Powerplay. But Josh Little, who went for runs in the Powerplay, led the fightback, to make RCB sweat for the win.
Bowling in the final over of the Powerplay, Little hurried Faf du Plessis, who had hammered him for 14 runss off the first four deliveries, into the bouncer and the RCB skipper ended up giving Shahrukh a comfortable catch at short fine leg.
Shahrukh had a busy day on the field as he picked up two more catches. After the all-important catch of du Plessis, Shahrukh picked up another one in the seventh over. With Will Jacks missing the googly, he sent the ball to Shahrukh, who picked up his second catch of the evening.
Shahrukh's catching skills came into play once again in the 10th over as he picked up his third catch at deep third man this time. Josh Little was the architect once again.
Cameron Green threw his bat at the ball and slashed it straight to Sharukh, with RCB losing their fifth wicket in quick succession.
David Miller
He doesn't make too many mistakes on the field and David Miller's safe hands came into play once again as he picked up two catches.
It was another Josh Little delivery and Rajat Patidar was the man on strike. Attempting to hammer Little out of the park, Patidar hit it straight to Miller who, stationed at deep square leg, picked him up a few yards from the boundary ropes.
Miller's skills were put to the test in the same over. After Patidar, Little struck once again on the final ball. Glenn Maxwell, who had just gotten off the mark with a boundary, looked to heave him over the ropes but ended up finding Miller in the deep.
Miller made no mistake as RCB lost their fourth wicket of the night to suffer a mini collapse.
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