Anil Kumble bowled one of the most economical spells in the IPL. (Source: AP/RCB/BCCI)
The 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was originally scheduled to kick off on March 29. The spread of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in an indefinite postponement with the possibility of it being cancelled. So we’re reliving some of the best clashes between the franchises and standout performances. Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was set to be the blockbuster match of the day (April 18) as per the original schedule.
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Rajasthan Royals was the first team to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 under the leadership of former Australian spinner Shane Warne. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore are yet to win the elusive IPL crown till date.
Head-to-head
Rajasthan has won 10 out of 21 contests against Bangalore, with one match being abandoned due to rain. In the past two seasons, Bangalore has not managed to beat Rajasthan even once. These statistics suggest that neither RCB nor RR has been able to dominate the other. However, this fixture has produced some memorable performances from veteran legends of the game. Let’s take a look at some of those.
IPL 2008, Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Rajasthan Royals 197/1 (Smith 75*, Asnodkar 50, Watson 46*) beat Bangalore Royal Challengers 132/9 (Dravid 75*, Tanvir 3-10, Warne 3-23) by 65 runs.
Chasing a stiff target of 197, RCB’s top order collapsed dramatically as Dravid walked in at 31/4 and then put up an exhibition class batting. Dravid scored 75 runs of his side’s 132 and batted emphatically, hitting six sixes, including three in an over from Yusuf Pathan. The majority of his runs came on the on-side and his most productive shot was the on side drive on the front foot, which fetched him 37 runs.
— Rahul ® (@RahulSadhu009) April 17, 2020
IPL 2009, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals
Royal Challengers Bangalore 133/8 ( Dravid 66, Kumble 5-5) beat Rajasthan Royals 58 ( Y Pathan 11, D Mascarenhas 20-3) by 75 runs.
This match recorded the lowest team total in IPL history as the Royals were bowled out for 58. Chasing a total of 133, Rajasthan were the favorites to win the match as defending champions. But that was not to be as former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble destroyed the opposition batting orders, with a phenomenal spell where he conceded just five runs in 3.1 overs and picked up five wickets.
His tally of 5/5, included the scalps of match-winners like Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja. “The Twenty20 game may not be for the oldies but as Sachin and Rahul also showed, we can have our days too,” Kumble had said after the match.
— Rahul ® (@RahulSadhu009) April 17, 2020
IPL 2010, Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore 132/5 (Pietersen 62) beat Rajasthan Royals 130/ 6 by 5 wickets.
Royal Challengers Bangalore restricted Rajasthan Royals to 130 on a slow pitch that lacked bounce. What could have been a tricky chase turned out to be a mere stroll in the park with Kevin Pietersen taking complete control of the innings with an entertaining and aggressive knock of 62 runs.
He was particularly lethal in the fourth over of RCB’s innings, bowled by Kamran Khan, scoring 18 runs with the help of four boundaries. When he collected three more boundaries in the sixth, bowled by Adam Voges, Bangalore were comfortably on course. Pietersen’s most productive shot was the off-side drive on the front foot (16 runs). He was duly adjudged man of the match in this encounter.
IPL 2014, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals 191/5 (Nair 56, Smith 48*, Faulkner 41*, Yuvraj 4-35) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 190/5 (Yuvraj 83, de Villiers 58) by five wickets.
Yuvraj Singh shrugged off his poor form in IPL 2014 with breathtaking knock of 83 vintage runs off 38 balls for RCB. Incidentally, he produced two potentially match-winning displays on the same night – 83 with the bat and a 4/35 with the ball.
Chasing 192, Singh revived his side to 190/5 from 40/3. The effortless pick-up shot over the on side, drives through off, slog sweeps all reminded of the Yuvraj we knew. Sadly, it did not turn out to be a winning knock in the end.