Rajat Patidar's explosive fifty and a good show from the spinners helped Royal Challengers Bangalore overcome Sunrisers Hyderabad by 35 runs in their latest IPL showdown. This win was a much-needed tonic for the morale of RCB, who went through six losses in a row.
Patidar's blistering 50 runs in 20 deliveries overshadowed Virat Kohli's unbeaten knock of 51 in 43 deliveries, but this time, it was the chance of a formidable total of 206 for seven after RCB batted first.
Despite SRH's flair to chase monster totals, the batting lineup flopped, and they could manage only 171 in eight overs. This loss marked the third loss on the trot for SRH, while this win marked the turning point for RCB, who had gone through seven defeats in their first eight games.
The spinners were the guiding light from the very beginning for RCB. Going with the conditions, RCB launched part-time off-spinner Will Jacks to open the bowl. The early effort of a breakthrough by Jacks, who dismissed the dangerous Travis Head, set the tone of RCB taking center stage.
The left-arm spinner, making his debut for RCB, Swapnil Singh, did not even let go of the mainstays of the SRH's batting. In his first over, he dismissed the powerful South African duo of Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen, and SRH were under 56 for four within the first five overs.
Patidar and Kohli combined to excellent effect. Patidar had a go at it with his aggressive stroke play, and Kohli had his way by his astute rotation of strike. Patidar dispatched four consecutive sixes off the leg-spinner Mayank Markande in the 11th over, and this was his 19th ball, and he had reached the fifty mark, quite contrasting to Kohli's 37-ball effort.
Despite the brilliant start by RCB's top order, especially by Kohli and Faf du Plessis, SRH were able to rein it back in the middle overs due to disciplined bowling. However, with explosive runs in partnership from the two Kohli and Patidar helped RCB set a formidable target, where the team eked out a crucial victory that ended their losing streak.
The victory marked a fresh start in the campaign and also pinpointed the importance of unit contributions, especially from Patidar and the spinners, in shaping the outcome of IPL encounters.
