In what unfolded as a riveting contest of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched a scintillating win by overhauling a challenging target of 201 runs set by the Gujarat Titans (GT). The high-octane matchup, featuring at match 45 of the season, was distinguished by an explosive batting display from Will Jacks who celebrated his century, in tangent with an unwavering effort from the cricket maestro Virat Kohli.
The chase began on a positive note with Faf du Plessis setting the tone with an aggressive stint at the crease, launching three sixes before succumbing to Sai Kishore’s delivery that found him at deep mid-wicket. It was then that Will Jacks arrived at the crease, thereby scripting a monumental 166-run partnership with Kohli that ultimately became the linchpin of RCB’s victory.
Initially, Kohli was the leading force in the run-gathering, cruising to a fifty off 31 balls and propelling RCB to 98 for 1 at the halfway stage. His innings were tinged with his trademark class and exquisite balance, hallmarking RCB’s solid chase. Onlookers braced as it seemed the match would extend into the late overs. However, Jacks had other plans. Mohit Sharma’s tenth over was the turning point when Jacks unleashed his prowess, hammering sixes and fours, driving the RCB closer to GT’s total.
The tides firmly shifted in favor of the Royal Challengers as Jacks dominated the strike and made it clear he intended to bring the match to a swift conclusion. While a Kohli century appeared likely, by the end of the 12th over Jacks had escalated his score to 29. Within the next two overs, he had substantially closed the gap, reaching 44 as RCB now needed 53 off the last six overs.
Jacks took the game away from GT in the 15th over as he delivered a smorgasbord of boundaries against Mohit Sharma, wrapping up a 29-run over and accelerating to 72. In came Rashid Khan, trying to quell the RCB surge, but Jacks was relentless, and the sixes continued to pour. As Kohli watched from the other end, having just hit his 500th run of the season, Jacks homed in on his century with an array of sixes and fours, bringing the scores level.
With just one run to win and on a personal score of 94, Jacks exultantly sealed the game and his maiden TATA IPL century, heaving the ball over mid-wicket for another maximum and concluding the game with an over to spare. It was a performance etched in memory, a reminder of the prowess and spectacle that Twenty20 cricket offers.
Earlier in the day, GT, thanks to the efforts of B Sai Sudharsan and Shahrukh Khan, set a competitive total of 200. Sudharsan anchored the innings with a resilient 84 not out, while Shahrukh Khan provided the fireworks through his quickfire 58. Their contributions were crucial, especially after GT had lost Wriddhiman Saha early to Swapnil Singh.
Shubman Gill and Sudharsan steadied the innings past the initial six overs but the former’s wicket on Maxwell’s delivery, with an exceptional catch by Cameron Green, signaled GT’s need to accelerate. Shahrukh Khan’s elevation to no.4 paid off, combining grace with brute force in his maiden TATA IPL fifty.
Post Shahrukh Khan’s blistering knock, which was terminated by a precise yorker from Mohammad Siraj, David Miller paired up with Sudharsan propelling GT to the 200-run mark, a feat that had been emblematic of GT’s home games the previous season.
Regrettably for the Titans, a good score at Ahmedabad became insufficient in face of a determined Kohli and a combatant Will Jacks. Onward, teams will reflect on this clash as they strategize to preempt such batting juggernauts – a task easier said than done in this elite cricketing league.
