RCB’s campaign to secure a spot in the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 received a significant impetus as they registered a dominant victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a margin of 112 runs. Following a score of 171/5 by RCB, RR was bowled out for a meager 59 runs in just 10.3 overs.
The outcome not only brought RCB on par with Rajasthan Royals in terms of points, but also elevated their net run rate, while RR’s took a significant hit. Prior to the match, RR had the second-best NRR among all teams, after the table-toppers Gujarat Titans.
However, their NRR plummeted to 0.140, which is now the lowest among teams with a positive NRR. In the post-match celebrations, RCB players were visibly elated in the dressing room. Former captain Virat Kohli was seen in a jovial mood, joking that Rajasthan would have been all out for 40 runs if he had bowled.
In a video shared by RCB, Kohli can be heard saying, “If I had bowled, they would have been all out for 40,” while celebrating with his team in the dressing room after the match.
Rajasthan Royals’ total of 59 all out is the third-lowest score ever recorded in the IPL for a 20-over match. Interestingly, the second-lowest total of 58 was also conceded by Rajasthan against RCB in the 2009 season, while the lowest total of 49 was scored by RCB against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017.
