Aoba Tanaka 
In a nail-biting IPL 2024 Eliminator, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis expressed his disappointment at falling short of a competitive total, despite his team’s valiant fight against Rajasthan Royals (RR). The defeat, which took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, ended RCB’s dreams of winning their first IPL trophy this season.
Rajasthan Royals showcased a brilliant all-round performance, clinching a four-wicket win over RCB to advance to Qualifier 2, where they will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai. RCB, batting first, posted a total of 172/8, which du Plessis felt was insufficient given the conditions and the impact of the dew.
Reflecting on the game, du Plessis praised his team’s resilience but acknowledged the need for a higher score. “With the dew coming in, we felt we were short with the bat. We thought we were 20 runs shy of a good score,” he said during the post-match presentation. “Credit to the boys – they fought really well. That’s all you can ask for.”
Du Plessis highlighted the challenging conditions, noting that the pitch and the impact of the dew altered what was considered a par score. “If you look at naturally assessing the pitch and conditions, you would say it’s a 180 pitch because it was swinging upfront and was quite slow,” he explained. “But what we’ve found out this season, with the impact player, the par score isn’t enough anymore. Also with the dew coming in.”
Despite the loss, du Plessis expressed pride in his team’s performance, particularly their ability to bounce back mid-season. “When you win only one of your first eight games, the wheels would have fallen off for most teams. But we did well to win six on the trot,” he said. “To come back like that, six games in a row, takes a lot of heart and character.”
RR’s decision to bowl first proved effective as they managed to restrict RCB to 172/8. Numerous RCB batters got off to promising starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores. In the chase of 173, RR reached the target in 19 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scoring with 45 and Riyan Parag contributing a crucial 36.
As RCB exits the tournament, their captain remains optimistic about the future. “We weren’t special tonight in terms of pushing that extra 20 runs with the bat, but I am extremely proud of the character the team has shown,” du Plessis concluded.
Stay tuned for more updates as Rajasthan Royals prepare to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2, with both teams vying for a spot in the IPL 2024 final.
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