RCB vs GT, IPL Play of the Day: RCB’s triple-threat chokehold that strangles GT in the closing stages
With four overs to spare for Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore had a problem to solve at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, April 25.
Jos Buttler was set and started looking dangerous. Washington Sundar came in and immediately knew his timing. The scoring rate was already above 10, and despite Sai Sudarshan’s dismissal earlier, the platform was firmly on course for a total of over 170, perhaps even heading towards 190 if things clicked.
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This was the stage where games usually ended. Instead, RCB pulled it back.
Only 17 runs were scored in the 17th, 18th and 19th overs. There were no boundaries in two of these overs, an important wicket fell and most importantly, the momentum changed completely.
Three overs, complete control
The change started with Rajat Patidar’s decision which was not clear.
He went back to Suyyash Sharma even though the young leg spinner had taken 14 runs in his previous over. At that stage of the innings, with a set batsman coming in and a new batsman looking fluent, most captains would have turned to safer options.
But Patidar read the situation differently.
Sundar was still new at the crease and finding his rhythm. Buttler, although set, had not yet gone into full acceleration mode. The thinking was clear. If ever there was a way to sneak in quietly, this was it.
Suyyash executed that plan very well.
No big shots were attempted, no risks were taken. Sundar played himself, Buttler remained cautious and only four runs were scored in the over. On paper, it seemed harmless. In context, this was the beginning of the pressure.
pressure builds
T20 games are not always based on big moments. Sometimes, they bowl variations in short, quiet overs that force the batsmen to reconsider.
After leading comfortably, the batting team suddenly realized that it needed to accelerate as there were fewer balls left. The margin for error reduced and pressure began to fall on the batsmen.
This is where Bhuvneshwar Kumar left his impact.
He recognized the moment and more importantly the batsman. Buttler’s ramp shot is often a release option in the death overs, as a way of breaking a bowler’s rhythm. Bhuvneshwar set the trap and executed it well, resulting in Buttler’s dismissal.
That wicket changed everything.
The innings lost its grip due to the departure of the set batsman. Sundar now had to play the attacking role, while Jason Holder made his franchise debut. Although Holder has the ability to clear the ropes, it was always difficult to expect him to do so immediately in that situation.
The over reflected that reality.
There were no limits, no release shots. Singles and doubles only, resulting in five runs. At a stage where teams often try to score 15 or more, that kind of over is invaluable.
checkmate before the last over
After building that pressure, Patidar made another major call.
Instead of saving his main fast bowler for the final over, he called on Josh Hazlewood for the 19th over. It was a move that ensured that scoring goals was no longer easy.
If the batting side had got momentum in that over, it could have continued it till the last six balls. By using Hazlewood first, RCB closed that door completely.
Hazlewood performed with control and discipline.
There were no boundaries, no chance for the batsmen to be free. Each ball added to the pressure that had already built in the previous two overs. By the end of the 19th, the innings had been firmly pulled back.
Seventeen runs in three overs.
What once seemed like a total of 170 was now much more manageable.
Boundaries were hit after some time in the last over, due to which Rasikh Salaam Dar and fatigue were clearly visible on the field. Krunal Pandya had to struggle with crampsBut by then the hard work had been done.
In a format where totals can rise quickly, it was a reminder of how quickly control can be regained with the right decisions and execution.
RCB did not rely on even a single moment of talent. Instead, he applied pressure, made smart calls and backed his bowlers to perform well.
And in the end, those three overs ensured that the target remained within reach, setting up the chase.
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