In a thrilling encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Faf du Plessis stole the show with a scintillating 64 runs, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a crucial four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans. Despite a shaky start in their chase of 148, du Plessis, along with Virat Kohli, set the tone with a blistering 92-run partnership off just 35 balls.
Du Plessis' aggressive approach saw him smash 10 boundaries and three maximums before his departure triggered a collapse for RCB, losing six wickets in quick succession. However, Dinesh Karthik's composed unbeaten 21 and Swapnil Singh's crucial 15 not out ensured RCB crossed the finish line with ease, lifting them to seventh place in the points table.
The chase began explosively, with Kohli and du Plessis launching an assault on the GT bowlers from the outset. Du Plessis, in particular, was unstoppable, dismantling the opposition with his array of strokes. Despite a late charge from Joshua Little, who claimed four wickets, RCB managed to cruise past the target with plenty of overs to spare.
Earlier, RCB's bowlers put on a disciplined display to restrict GT to a below-par total of 147. Yash Dayal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, and Mohammed Siraj starred with the ball, picking up crucial wickets to dismantle the GT batting lineup.
With this win, RCB not only kept their playoff hopes alive but also dealt a blow to GT's campaign, pushing them down to ninth place in the standings. The match showcased moments of brilliance from both sides but ultimately belonged to du Plessis and RCB, who emerged victorious in a thrilling contest.
Brief Scores:
Gujarat Titans: 147 all out in 19.3 overs (Shahrukh Khan 37, Rahul Tewatia 35; Yash Dayal 2-21, Vyshak Vijaykumar 2-23)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 152/6 in 13.4 overs (Faf du Plessis 64, Virat Kohli 42; Joshua Little 4-45, Noor Ahmad 2-23)
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