RCB VS RR T20S

Right then, we are now down to just three teams who are still in contention for lifting the coveted Indian T20 League trophy, two of which will go head-to-head in a chance to face Kolkata in the Grand Finale on Sunday. It will be a resurgent Rajasthan side going up against a wounded Hyderabad side down south at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in Qualifier 2 and that is set up to be an enticing encounter. That game will take place on Friday, 24 May and will start at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) but you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Ravichandran Ashwin is the Player of the Match for his fine spell of bowling in the first innings. Ashwin says that they haven't done incredibly well in the last few games, with the batting not firing and they lost some key players as well. Adds that they were a bit rusty chasing the total but having done so, the confidence should be back. Mentions that in the first half of the season, his body wasn't moving well and had an issue with the abdomen as well but now, the body is fine and it is more about the rhythm and he needs a huge amount of bowling time to get into the T20 repetitions. Adds that initially when Trent Boult was bowling, there was some swing and reckons that there wasn't much dew later on as well and the batting was a bit of a mixed-up. Ends by saying that they now have some confident batters and have a class spin attack with Keshav Maharaj on the bench as well and are ready for the next game.

Sanju Samson, the skipper of Rajasthan says that cricket is like life, where you will have good and bad days but it is important to bounce back. Lauds the character shown in the field by his team. Credits Kumar Sangakkara and the support staff for doing the homework for the Bengaluru batters. Adds that Ravichandran Ashwin, Avesh Khan and Trent Boult bowled tremendously well. Tells that their batting unit has a good mix of youth and experience. Shares that he was not 100 per cent in this game and there is a bug going around in the dressing room. Further says that they have a travel day and will look to rest well before the next game.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Sanju Samson had no hesitation in putting Faf du Plessis and Co into bat first and this decision was welcomed by Trent Boult who bowled a fabulous spell upfront but wasn't quite well supported from the other end by Avesh Khan and Sandeep Sharma. However, as soon as Ravichandran Ashwin came in, he started to make things happen but it was Yuzvendra Chahal who got the big wicket of Virat Kohli and then didn't do much in the game. Bengaluru tried to counter in the middle overs with the likes of Rajat Patidar and Cameron Green but they both also fell and it was Mahipal Lomror who played a vital cameo to get Bengaluru over the 170-run mark. However, this could have been more but Avesh had a dream spell at the death and picked up three wickets to keep the opposition to an under-par total. In reply, Rajasthan couldn't kick on after a fast start but had enough batting to get over the line and live to fight another day.

The man who hit the winning runs for Rajasthan, Rovman Powell is down for a quick chat. Powell says that it wasn't a difficult situation and one just needed to get bat to ball and luckily for him, he got a few boundaries away early. Adds that he told Hetmyer to be positive and unfortunately, he couldn't stay on till the end. Mentions that he wanted to have balls in his hand when he came out to bat but lauds the batters for contributing and adds that the first catch was the one that let him get to the rest of the catches and if he had dropped it, it might have made him drop another one. Reckons that sometimes chances come to you really quick and had he put it down, it would have been a good effort. Ends by saying that they haven't quite played their best cricket in the last few games but are looking forward to the clash against Hyderabad.

The Bengaluru skipper, Faf du Plessis, says that with the dew coming in, they were a few runs short. Feels that they needed to push more for a few runs to make it a competitive total. Credits his team for fighting till the end. Reckons that with the Impact Player and the dew factor, what used to be a par score earlier isn't par anymore. States when you win only one of your first eight games, the wheels would have fallen off for most teams, but his team did well to win six on the trot. Further says that the boys showed great character, and it is not easy to win six on the bounce.

Bengaluru knew they were more than a few runs short and needed wickets upfront inside the Powerplay but it just didn't happen and a few sloppy efforts in the field didn't help either. There was certainly some resurgence in the middle overs as they got a couple of wickets after which Cameron Green bowled a fine spell and got the opposition in a tight spot. A fabulous run out from Virat Kohli further galvanized Bengaluru but soon enough, the runs required were quite low and they needed multiple wickets in an over. Mohammed Siraj got them a couple of wickets in the 18th over but by then, the damage had been done and in the next over, Rovman Powell wiped off the remaining 13 runs and just like that, Bengaluru were dumped out of the competition, just a couple of days or so after sealing a playoff berth in sensational fashion. Also, a big round of applause goes to Dinesh Karthik who had announced at the start of the season that this will be his final Indian T20 League campaign and in him Bengaluru have lost a true finisher and we wish him the best for the next phase of his career.

RAJASTHAN ARE HEADING TO CHENNAI! A gut-wrenching win in the end but Rajasthan have managed to get rid of their demons and keep their hopes of making it through to the Final alive. What a remarkable run from Bengaluru though, a sensational six-game winning streak that has ended in heartbreak but winning 9 on the trot to clinch the trophy always seemed a bit too much. This game, however, is all about Rajasthan and them turning a corner given they were on a four-game losing streak but will feel a lot better now. Needing 173 for the win, Rajasthan got off to a rollicking start with boundaries flowing off the bat of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler-Cadmore but then came the slump in the middle overs. Set batters in the form of Jaiswal and Sanju Samson got out and then there was that run-out as well of Dhruv Jurel that created some panic but Riyan Parag got crucial runs away. He too then got out and so did Shimron Hetmyer but Rovman Powell, who seems to be the coolest head in the stadium kept his cool and got the job done in the 19th over.

SIX! BOOM! Thumped flat and thumped down the ground! Rovman Powell gets the job done for Rajasthan. Ferguson comes up with a slower one and this is much fuller, outside off, Rovman Powell picks the variation out of the hand and waits for the ball to arrive. Smacks it off the middle of the bat and hits it well away from long on for a flat six. Punches the air in delight and a relieved look on the faces of Rajasthan players in the dugout. Rajasthan win by 4 wickets to book their place in Qualifier 2.

Make that three dots in a row! Bowls the back-of-the-hand slower delivery, on a hard length, on off and middle, Rovman Powell covers the line of the ball and defends it out with a straight bat.

Hits the deck hard again, on middle, Rovman Powell pats it to the right of the bowler. Lockie Ferguson gets around and cuts it off. Two dots on the trot.

Bowls it on a back of a length, on off, Rovman Powell slaps it firmly but picks out the man at backward point.

FOUR MORE! Another streaky boundary and Rajasthan are nearly there. Just 5 runs away now. Serves it on a good length, angling in, around off, Rovman Powell looks to keep it out with a straight bat. Gets squared up slightly and gets an outside edge that beats the dive of Karn Sharma at short third for four more runs.

FOUR! Intentional or not, it does not matter! Rajasthan will take it any which way they come. Full and near the tramline on off, Rovman Powell leaves his bat hanging as he reaches out. It comes off the outside edge and it races past backward point for a boundary.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the new batter in. 13 needed now off 12 balls and Lockie Ferguson comes in to bowl the penultimate over.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Mohammed Siraj with the double strike for Bengaluru! First Riyan Parag and now Shimron Hetmyer, Rajasthan are digging a hole for themselves through their shot selection. Siraj targets the stumps and serves it on a length, Shimron Hetmyer has a wild heave across the line. Gets a top edge that goes very high in the air around the cover region. Faf du Plessis turns around and almost turns a full circle. Keeps his eyes on the ball all the way through and takes it near his chest, falling on his back. The game is far from over yet and Rajasthan will be starting to feel the pressure now.