Bengaluru: Anushka Sharma had tears in her eyes after Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. Chasing 219 to win, CSK needed to score 201 runs to stay on top of RCB in terms of net run rate and qualify for the playoffs. Needing 22 runs from the final over, MS Dhoni smashed Yash Dayal for a six on the first ball. But the RCB pacer came back strongly to take his team through to the knockouts.
Sharma, who is a renowned Bollywood actress and wife of Kohli, was in the stands to cheer for her husband. After the win, Sharma was ecstatic as he enjoyed the victory like no other and almost cried in joy.
Even though we lost the match, we are happy that because of us a young couple has got to win & enjoy the match with tears & spend their rest of the day happily. #ViratKohli #AnushkaSharma #CSKvsRCB #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/CJ18Iwp5rL
— ️Shruthi️ (@Shru3Kris) May 18, 2024
As far as the game is concerned, RCB defeated defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to secure the fourth and final play-off spot in the Indian Premier League. Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already qualified for the play-offs. Sent into bat, RCB posted a challenging 218 for five against CSK in their must-win.
Skipper Faf du Plessis (54) and Virat Kohli (47) shared 78 runs for the opening stand in 9.4 overs after the match was interrupted by showers for sometime at the end of the third over. Coming onto bat at No.3 position, Rajat Patidar made 41 off 23 balls and stitched 71 runs with Cameron Green (38 not out off 17) for the second wicket to keep up the tempo.
Towards the end, Dinesh Karthik (14 off 6) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off 5) played short little cameos to lift RCB. CSK needed 201 runs to qualify for the playoffs on account of a better run rate even if they lose, but could only manage 191 for 7.
Rachin Ravindra scored 61 off 37 balls, while Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane made 42 not out and 33 respectively. Towards the end, the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who could have probably played his last IPL match, scored a 13-ball 25-run cameo. But it was not enough. Yash Dayal kept his cool in the last over and returned with figures of 2/42 for RCB.
