[Watch] Rajat Patidar perishes for 34 and leaves RCB at 122/5 in Eliminator of IPL 2024 vs RR
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Rajat Patidar perished after playing a cameo in the Eliminator match of IPL 2024 against Rajasthan Royals (RR). The match took place on Wednesday (May 22) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It was a crucial juncture in the match for RCB as they lost half of their side with more than five overs left in the innings.
The moment transpired on the second ball of the 15th over, bowled by RR pacer Avesh Khan. Rajat Patidar was looking in good rhythm for RCB after reaching 34 (22). He tried to up the ante and played a lofted shot in the mid-off region. However, he could not get the required timing behind the shot as the fielder Riyan Parag ran back and took a well-judged catch.
You can watch Patidar's dismissal in the video below:
Mahipal Lomror's cameo helps RCB reach 172/8 vs RR after Rajat Patidar's departure
After being asked to bat first, RCB lost their opener and captain Faf du Plessis (17) after a 37-run opening partnership. Virat Kohli (33), Rajat Patidar (34), and Cameron Green (27) got starts after that, but none of them could convert them into big ones.
As a result, they were reeling at 122/5 in 14.2 overs. Mahipal Lomror then played an impactful cameo of 32 (17) in the company of lower-order batters to take RCB to a respectable total of 172. Ravichandran Ashwin was one of the standout bowlers for RR, ending with figures of 4-0-19-2. At the mid-innings break, Ashwin reflected on his spell and the first innings, saying:
"It's been a bit of a tournament for me with two halves. The first half I was getting into the tournament struggling after a long Test series. Definitely the last six-seven games I've been bowling really well. Enjoying it. In fact I messaged Virat before the game saying we're going one more time on the big stage. Dew has come on nicely now."
He added:
"This IPL, whether it's the nature or it's the IPL committee, we've not had much dew around the country. In Chennai and probably Guwahati we found ourselves 20-25 short. We made a match of it taking into the 19th over which possibly told us what the par score was. We have been struggling with the bat after the first half but it's about pressing the reset button. (On the score) I think it's par minus."
The winner of this clash will take on SRH in Qualifier 2 in Chennai on Friday, May 24.