IPL 2024, RCB vs RR: Avesh, Ashwin's ball heroics help Rajasthan restrict Bengaluru for 172 runs

Rajasthan Royals` Trent Boult appeals unsuccessfully for a wicket during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bangaluru and Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. Pic/PTI

Trent Boult and Ravichandran Ashwin kept a tight leash on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but the other bowlers leaked runs and left their batsmen with a slightly challenging target of 173 runs to punch a ticket to Chennai for Qualifier 2 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

A large number of 85,506 fans at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday were cheering for RCB and, in particular, Virat Kohli (33, 24 balls, 3x4, 1x6, strike rate 137.5).

Undeterred by the partisan crowd, Rajasthan spearhead Boult (4-0-16-1) justified his skipper Sanju Samson's decision to bowl first. The left-handed Kiwi swung the ball appreciably and even squared up Faf du Plessis early with his 140kmh delivery that hit the RCB skipper on the thigh.

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The Kiwi seamer conceded only six runs in his first three overs inside Powerplay while packing off Faf du Plessis to a spectacular diving catch at midwicket by Rovman Powell, who ran for a few metres from deep before diving low to scoop the ball with two hands.

While Boult was choking the RCB openers, Sandeep Sharma (4-0-48-1) and Avesh Khan (4-0-44-3) were leaking runs at the other end, conceding 42 runs between them in the first three overs.

Samson summoned his tweakers, Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, at the end of the Powerplay. Both Cameron Green and Kohli found it tough to free their arms against Ashwin, scoring only six runs. In his bid to accelerate, Kohli tried to take on leggie Chahal, but his attempted swat across the line was comfortably caught at deep midwicket by Donovan Ferreira.

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