END OF OVER:20 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | CSK: 191/7 (28 runs required, RR: 9.55)
- Ravindra Jadeja42 (22b)
- Shardul Thakur1 (2b)
- Yash Dayal4-0-42-2
- Lockie Ferguson3-0-39-1
I'm sure just like the players, even RCB fans must have lost a few kilos tonight. There was immense pressure, tension and nerves which had piled to soak people up for the last five hours. Apart from who makes it to the playoffs and who goes home, there was the subplot of Dhoni probably playing his final IPL match. Probably. But how do we mortals know whether he will turn up again next year? Maybe with a different hairstyle, maybe with a different side... but he could! Anyway, this is it from us tonight, as we head closer to the playoffs. This is Himanshu signing off on behalf of Shashank and Sudeep. Good night!
Faf du Plessis is the Player of the Match for his 54: "What a night! Such a great atmosphere. Just a pleasure to finish the season in front of the home seasons. There was a lot of rain falling on the pitch, and you don't want that moisture. It felt like a day-five Test match in Ranchi! The contributions from many batters at good strikes, I'm really proud. We were defending 175 [and neither 201 nor 218]! We tried to get the ball changed tonight. I dedicate the Man of the Match [award] to Yash Dayal! I said to him pace off on this wicket is the best option. It's crazy; even when we weren't winning, we had the fans here. It was set up perfectly - CSK vs RCB! Incredible. Thank you everyone for their support. It's really important that you enjoy this. Your first goal in the IPL is to try and get in the knockouts."
Time for the presentations
Githesh: "Definitely, RCB deserves to be the title winner this season."
Lockie Ferguson: "Unbelievable! I don't know how to put that into words... Yash, right at the end there, under pressure with MS there, did exceptionally well. Keep the batters guessing... we are pretty excited. We felt that the wicket was just turning from a length. We know how good Jaddu is hitting yorker balls as well."
Raj: "Feeling like RCB already won the IPL... can they make this true and do a double (wpl and IPL)"
Ruturaj Gaikwad: "It was a good wicket. For spinners, it was turning and gripping a little bit. Pretty happy with what the target was. To sum up the season, pretty happy with seven games out of 14. Injuries, not having Conway as well - made a lot of difference. Challenges right from the first game. Pathirana got injured, we missed Fizz as well. When you have injuries, it is difficult to balance the squad... Couldn't get over the line, but these things can happen. For me, personal milestones don't matter a lot. After all, the ultimate prize is to win. We couldn't get it, so personally I'm slightly disappointed as well."
Manichillpill: "This has to be the best match ever in the history of IPL. Period!!"
12.04am An inspiring performance from RCB: they win six in a row to qualify for the playoffs, when at one stage they were No. 10, right at the bottom of the table. And that was a result of just as many losses on the bounce. Terrific from RCB when it mattered most: Kohli, du Plessis, Jacks, Siraj and co, everyone stepped up and rebuilt brick by brick to get their house back in order.
Only if it's not a no-ball or a wide...