A match split between a sunny afternoon and a damp evening could not scupper Royal Challengers Bangalore’s inevitable progress into the play-offs, even though the home team would have liked to achieve it with a victory over Delhi Daredevils.
RCB’s last home-game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday seemed nicely set up for a close duel after Daredevils posted 187 for five. In reply, the host gingerly moved to two for no loss in 1.1 overs when the weather gods kept their appointment with yet another Twenty20 bash in Bengaluru, this summer.
The rain that commenced at 5.59 p.m. continued unabated and the match was called off at 7.35 p.m. The wet blanket left RCB and Daredevils with one point each and it also prevented Virat Kohli’s men from having a shot at a successful chase and finishing with 17 points and securing the second spot. They had to settle for the eventual 16 and draw cheer from making it to the last-four stage, after a gap of three years.
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Earlier, after RCB opted to field, Daredevils relished a much awaited solid opening partnership as Quinton de Kock (69) and Shreyas Iyer added 55 in 6.2 overs.
Southpaw de Kock whetted his appetite with lashes on the off-side before cutting and drilling Ashoke Dinda in an over that also witnessed Shreyas hit a four. de Kock kept finding the gaps and be it Mitchell Starc or David Wiese, the opener remained uninhibited.
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The alliance, however, was split when Shreyas struck Harshal Patel straight to Chris Gayle at point but RCB had no respite as Jean-Paul Duminy (67 n.o.) strode in and immediately settled into a nice tempo.
Inspiration wasn’t far to seek for Duminy as across the pitch de Kock tucked into Wiese with a six over long-on, a four straight down the ground and an inside-out drive past cover.
Duminy too joined the act, hoisted Gayle for six and the skipper adhered to his aggressive repertoire even after Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed de Kock to terminate the 55-run second-wicket partnership. Chahal was caned for three sixes with Yuvraj Singh too launching one into the stands overlooking mid-wicket.
The leg-spinner did scalp Yuvraj in the same tumultuous over but Duminy pulled and punched his way forward and papered over the cracks inflicted by the departures of Kedar Jadhav and Angelo Mathews.
In the final stretch, Saurabh Tiwary clattered one into the sight-screen and Daredevils cruised to a total that could challenge RCB. Unfortunately, the rest of the contest had to bow down to the vagaries of Bengaluru’s whimsical weather.