The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a record-breaking night in the 2024 edition of the IPL as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) chased down a mammoth 201-run target set by Gujarat Titans (GT) with nine wickets remaining and a staggering 18 balls to spare. This chase stands as the fastest ever pursuit of a 200-plus target in the history of the IPL.
Openers Faf du Plessis (38) and Will Jacks (103*) got RCB off to a brisk start, stitching together a 72-run opening partnership before Mohammed Shami provided the breakthrough. However, the evening belonged to the young Englishman, Jacks. He unleashed a whirlwind knock, smashing 11 fours and 5 sixes in a blistering 41-ball century.
Jacks’ innings showcased a repertoire of powerful strokes, leaving the GT bowlers with little answer. The 23-year-old found able support from the experienced Virat Kohli (70*), who played a measured knock, anchoring the chase alongside Jacks. The duo added a crucial 131-run partnership for the second wicket, effectively taking the game away from GT.
Gujarat Titans, opting to bat first, rode on a brilliant knock from young opener Will Jacks (100 off 41 balls) and a steady contribution from Sai Sudharsan (84* off 56 balls) to post a challenging total of 200/3 on the board. The GT batting lineup showcased some fight, with David Miller chipping in with a quickfire 26* off 14 balls. However, the RCB bowling attack, spearheaded by the crafty spin of Glenn Maxwell (1-20) and the pace of Mohammed Siraj (1-32), managed to restrict the damage to an extent.
Earlier, GT opted to bat first after winning the toss. Openers Sai Sudharsan (84*) and David Miller (58) provided a solid foundation, stitching together a 112-run stand. While wickets fell at regular intervals in the latter half of the innings, Sudharsan held firm, ensuring GT posted a competitive total.
For RCB, Glenn Maxwell (1/27) and Mohammed Siraj (1/32) were the pick of the bowlers, picking up crucial wickets at regular intervals. However, the night belonged to the RCB batsmen, particularly Jacks, whose knock will be remembered for a long time.
With this dominant victory, RCB have climbed to the fifth spot in the points table, while GT remain languishing in ninth place. Interestingly, these two teams will lock horns again in a few days’ time. It will be interesting to see how GT respond to this crushing defeat and whether RCB can maintain their winning momentum.
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