GT vs RCB IPL 2024 Match Report: Jacks-Kohli power RCB to 9-wicket victory against an ordinary Gujarat Titans

Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Will Jacks plays a shot during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) (PTI04_28_2024_000226B)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru outplayed an ordinary Gujarat Titans as they chased 201 runs to beat Titans by 9 wickets. Will Jacks scored an unbeaten 100 off 41 balls supported by Virat Kohli’s 70 not out runs paved the way for RCB to convincingly beat Gujarat Titans.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru started their chase well with openers Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis taking the GT bowlers to task in the initial overs. Du Plessis got out on 24 as Kishore got the breakthrough for Gujarat Titans. Virat Kohli opened his arms afterwards and too his team to 63/1 after 6 overs at the end of powerplay. Kohli completed his 50 in 32 balls as RCB reached 98/1 after 10 overs. RCB batsmen took the charge and scored 134/1 at the end of 13 overs at the strategic time out. Will Jacks completed his 50 in 31 balls to support Kohli in the chase. At the later stage of the match Jacks took charge and hit three sixes in the end to steer his team home. RCB beat GT by 9 wickets.

Earlier, in the first innings, Gujarat Titans scored 200/3 in their 20 overs with good batting display and half-centuries by Sai Sudharsan and Shahrukh Khan after the loss of two qiuck wickets at the start of the innings. RCB will have to chase 201 runs in order to win this match and secure another two points in the tournament.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the toss and asked Gujarat Titans to bat first. Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha opened the innings and Saha got out early in the first over itself on 5 runs. GT scoring rate was comparatively slower in the powerplay as they finished at 42/1 after 6 overs. Shubman Gill got out on 16 as Maxwell got the breakthrough for RCB. Sai Sudharsan and Sharukh Khan tries to play some shots and took GT to 72/2 after 9 overs at the first strategic time out. Shahrukh Khan took the lead in charge against the RCB bowlers and scored his 50 in 24 balls. Khan was cleaned up by an in-swinging yorker by Siraj for 58 runs. Sudharsan brought up his 50 in 34 balls in the next over. Miller joined Sudharsan in the middle and both these batsmen ripped the RCB bowling apart in the death overs. Gujarat Titans finished the innings at 200/3 setting a target of 201 for RCB to chase.

Sai Sudharsan finished his innings at 84 not out of 48 balls to take his team to a fighting score of 200 against the RCB. Sai came to the middle after Saha got out early to join Gill. His skipper, Gill also left him early as he got out trying to score fast in the innings. Sai Sudharsan then took the responsibility to give his team a fighting total. His 86-run partnership with Shahrukh Khan provided him with the platform to take his team to 200/3 against the RCB.

Sudharsan has scored 418 runs from 10 matches including two half-centuries in IPL 2024 so far. His average is impressive 46.44 and strike rate of 135.71 in IPL 2024.