RCB vs SRH in IPL 2021: In tonight’s match, Bangalore’s Royal Challengers face Hyderabad’s Sunrisers. It is an important match for RCB, as it can ensure a second-place finish for them.
It’s Match No. 52 of IPL 2021 tonight, RCB face SRH in a clash which does not have too much significance. RCB have already qualified for the playoffs, while SRH are already out of contention.
However, a win tonight for RCB can help their cause in finishing within the Top 2. SRH, on the other hand, are playing for pride.
It was not the case 5 years ago when these two teams met in the Final of the IPL! We revisit this summit clash from the year 2016!
The Prelude
The final took place at RCB’s home – the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. So the raucous crowd were in full support of the Challengers!
One thing was for sure though – IPL was going to get a new champion, as neither team had won the tournament before!
SRH captain David Warner won the toss and decided to bat first, presumably to avoid chasing pressure in the big final.
SRH go berserk early
The Orange Army were off to a great start, as openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan got an opening partnership of 63 runs, before Dhawan was dismissed in the 7th over by Yuzi Chahal.
Warner continued the momentum though, as Moises Henriques briefly joined him before Yuvraj Singh did.
The skipper was finally dismissed on 69 off just 38 balls, with the team score at 125-3 in the 14th over. The stage was set for a good finish!
Yuvraj, Cutting take SRH past 200
Yuvraj played a great cameo of 38 off just 23 balls, hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes. However, when he got out, the score was 148-5 with 23 balls to go.
200 was looking out of contention for SRH. But Ben Cutting had other plans!
He took apart Shane Watson and Chris Jordan at the back end of the innings.
Particularly in the 20th over bowled by Watson, he scored a whopping 24 runs to help SRH go well past the 200-mark, and finish at 208-7 in their 20 overs!
Cutting finished with 39 not out off just 15 balls, with 3 fours and 4 sixes!
Also Read: RCB vs SRH in IPL 2021: 5 Stats & Records That Can be Broken in Tonight;s Game
The highest-ever successful run-chase in IPL was exactly 200 (by KKR in 2014). So the RCB batters had a huge task on their hands to send their fans home happy!
RCB off to a rollicking start
In response, RCB batted the way only RCB knew. Openers Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli bludgeoned the SRH bowling to all parts of the ground!
In 10.3 overs, the two scored 114 runs and shaved off more than half of the required target! But Gayle was then dismissed by – Ben Cutting (surprise, surprise!).
Captain Kohli soon followed Gayle after 2 overs, as Barinder Sran castled him and he missed out on an unprecedented feat – 1,000 runs in a single season of the IPL! He finished with 973 runs and the Orange Cap!
The score read 140-2, with 69 runs still needed in 43 balls.
RCB melt under pressure
As soon as Kohli left, it was a procession. No other batter – Shane Watson, AB de Villiers, KL Rahul – could get going.
Everybody fell in trying to up the ante, and as SRH had done so well the entire tournament, they once again applied the choke on RCB.
The home boys succumbed to the pressure, and although Sachin Baby kept the hopes alive with a four and a six, it was all too little too late!
RCB, much to the despair of the capacity crowd at the Chinnaswamy, finished at 200-7, only 8 runs short!
Conclusion
Ben Cutting was given the Man of the Match award for THAT over which changed the final. He also took 2 wickets with the ball in hand – the all-important first wicket of Chris Gayle, and then KL Rahul.
Also Read: RCB vs SRH in IPL 2021: 5 Key Players to Watch Out for in Tonights Game between RCB vs SRH
It was heartbreak for RCB, and utter delight for SRH – a team formed only 3 years prior, winning the championship by defeating RCB in their own den!
Will we see a Cutting-like performance from some other all-rounder tonight? We’ll have to wait and watch!
