IPL 2021: RCB vs DC Review – Srikar Bharat’s last-ball six wins it for Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore finished the league stages on a high winning their second game against Delhi Capitals this season, on October 8 in Dubai. The match was really close but it was held by two RCB batters who helped them get over the finish line. This was RCB’s ninth win this season while Delhi ended with 10 wins in the league stages.

Earlier in the evening, RCB skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bowl first. The plan backfired as Delhi openers started brilliantly. Shikhar Dhawan made 43 runs while Prithvi Shaw made 48 runs, putting up an opening stand of 88 runs in 10.1 overs. After that great start, one would have expected Delhi to capitalize and get a huge score. But, Bangalore managed to pull things back.

Rishabh Pant made 10 while Shreyas Iyer got to only 18. Shimron Hetmyer made 22-ball 29 which helped their cause a bit with some runs at the death. But, for RCB, it was Mohammad Siraj who ended with 2 for 25 in four overs, who was the pick of the bowlers. Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel and Dan Christian got a wicket each as well. Delhi ended up making 164 for 5.

The run-chase didn’t start well for RCB as they lost Devdutt Padikkal and Kohli in the second over. Srikar Bharat then started building a partnership with AB de Villiers. After a 49-run stand, de Villiers was dismissed for 26. But Bharat continued his knock with the arrival of Glenn Maxwell as the duo started picking up the run rate.

But the match went down to the wire. Despite a century partnership between the two, the equation was reduced to five runs off the last ball. Bharat kept his cool while Avesh Khan lost it, bowling a full toss. Bharat smashed it down the ground for a six and finished the match in a dramatic manner.

Top performers:  

Srikar Bharat:

The wicketkeeper batter has looked good since the time he has come into this team. However, regular chances is something which he didn’t get. Today, when RCB were struggling he managed to win the match right down to the wire and ended up winning with a six. He scored 78 runs from 52 balls, stroking three fours and four sixes.

Glenn Maxwell:

When Maxwell joined Bharat, RCB still needed 110 runs to win in only 63 balls. But, it was him who started taking on the bowlers and took the run-chase down till the end. His knock of 51 runs from 33 balls, with eight fours, was just another example of his brilliance in this format.

Personal achievements/records:

• Prithvi Shaw reached 400 runs in an IPL season for the first time in his career.
• Glenn Maxwell reached 2000 runs in the IPL. He also scored his sixth fifty in the 2021 season.
• RCB registered their 100th win in the IPL.

Way ahead:

Bangalore will play Kolkata on October 11 in the eliminator while Delhi will play Chennai on October 10 in the Qualifier 1.