New Delhi [India], May 14 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has bounced back really hard in the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by winning five successive matches to keep their playoffs hopes alive and one of the key reasons behind their resurgance is the attacking intent shown by batters.
RCB batting unit, consisting of stars like skipper Faf Du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar and Dinesh Karthik have collectively accomplished something that no other team has been able to do this season. All of these five batters are striking at a strike rate over 150-plus and made 200-plus runs, making RCB the only team with so much firepower delivering at such huge strike rates.
Virat is leading the pack in all aspects. In the ongoing season, Virat is the Orange Cap holder for most runs, making 661 runs at an average of 66.10 and a strike rate of 155.16, with a century and five fifties. His best score is 113*. RCB, who has made a remarkable comeback in the tournament with five successive wins after a horrid win-loss record of 1-6 in the first half, will need Virat to be at his best against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their final league game at Bengaluru on May 18 for a chance at playoffs.
After Virat, is the skipper Faf Du Plessis. After looking off-colour in the first half, Faf has found form and sixes in the second half of the tournament, having made 367 runs in 13 innings at an average of 28.23 and a strike rate of 168.34. He has smashed three fifties this season, with the best score of 64.
Patidar also experienced a second-half surge this season and is unstoppable against spin bowling. The stylish right-handed batter has scored 320 runs in 11 innings this year at an average of 29.09 and a strike rate of 179.77, with five half-centuries. His best score is 55.
Moreover, Patidar’s strike rate against spin this season has been 224.69. He has smashed 182 runs in just 81 balls, with five fours and 20 sixes. He averages 91 against spin and has played only 18 dot balls against spinners this season. He has been dismissed only twice by spin this season. He has smashed 20 sixes against spin this season, the most by any batter.
The finisher Dinesh Karthik has also delivered in his final IPL season. In 13 matches and 11 innings, he has scored 301 runs at an average of 43.00 and a strike rate of over 194.19. He has scored two half-centuries, with the best score of 83.
In eight matches for RCB, Jacks scored 230 runs at an average of 32.85 and a strike rate of over 175, with a century and fifty. His best score is 100*. He also took two wickets for his side. He was brought by RCB ahead of the 2023 season, but could not feature back then due to injury.
A very big moment of his IPL career so far was the carnage he unleashed on Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 28. Chasing 201 to win, Jacks reached his half-century in 31 balls. Within the span of the next 10 balls, Jacks raced to his maiden IPL ton, achieving the fastest-ever acceleration for a century in the tournament’s history. Jacks scored an unbeaten 100* in 41 balls, with five fours and 10 sixes and had an explosive 166-run stand with star batter Virat Kohli, who himself scored an unbeaten 70* in 44 balls in a successful run-chase.
RCB acknowledged this feat and tweeted, “We are the only team in #IPL2024 with batters scoring 200+ runs, with a strike rate of over 150. We’ve got each other’s backs and we’re coming for it! #PlayBold #nmmRCB.”
We’re the only team in #IPL2024 with 🖐️batters scoring 200+ runs, with a strike rate of over 150. 🥇
We’ve got each other’s backs and we’re coming for it! 👊#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/jwm7hTX9AQ
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 14, 2024
RCB climbed up to the fifth spot with a 47-run win over DC at their home ground of M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. After losing seven of the first eight league games, RCB has turned their season around with five successive wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.
RCB’s fifth consecutive win has catapulted them to fifth place on the points table, a position that appeared practically unattainable three weeks ago when they fell by a run to KKR, their sixth defeat in a row. They currently have 12 points, with a potential to reach 14 when they play CSK in their final league game. The Men in Yellow have 14 points. A win in this game might offer them a chance to enter the playoffs, but only if other outcomes go their way since SRH and LSG (two games left for each side, both have 12 points) can advance to 16 points and knock RCB out. (ANI)
