RR vs RCB: Buttler's Ton in 100th IPL Game Overshadows Kohli's Heroics as Rajasthan Win by 6 Wickets

The spectators at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium couldn’t have asked for a better face-off than what they witnessed on Saturday night. They got to witness a Virat Kohli hundred which lifted the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to 183/3 in 20 overs. However, his remarkable knock was overshadowed by the century partnership between captain Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler, and the latter notching up a ton (off 58 balls) on his 100^th IPL game to pave the way for Rajasthan Royals’ 6-wicket win in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The triumph has taken RR to the top of the table with 8 points and a Net Run Rate of +1.120.

The first innings was all about Kohli’s masterclass as he battled against the RR attack all alone to notch up a record-extending eighth IPL century. Though it was the slowest T20 century scored on Indian soil and in the tournament history, it fueled RCB’s huge score. Kohli showcased an array of handsome shots as he remained unbeaten on 113 off 72 balls. He smashed 12 fours and four sixes and barring the assistance received from his skipper Faf Du Plessis (44 from 33 balls; 2×4, 2×6), he did not get any support from the other batters.

For Rajasthan Royals, spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (2/34 in 4 overs) and Ravichandran Ashwin (0/28 on 4 overs) were the best bowlers on view as they never allowed RCB batters to chance their arms freely.

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RCB’s attack has been the most fragile among all ten franchises and it was well sensed by Samson who had opted to chase amidst the presence of due. An out-of-touch Yashasvi Jaiswal secured a duck, adding to his streak of failed outings this season. But there was hardly any impact of an early dismissal on the Royals when the skipper walked out to join Jos Buttler in the chase of 184.

What unfolded next will surely not let the RCB players sleep calmly tonight. It started raining sixes and fours all over the park as Samson and Buttler collectively took the men in blue & red to the cleaners. The Englishman notched up his first fifty this season off just 30 balls while the Royals had it in 33 deliveries.

The hosts were 100-up by the end of the 11^th over while RCB had no answer to the assault launched by the batting. After bringing up the 3^rd 100-plus partnership in the IPL, they added 48 more runs to put the Royals on the verge of a clinical win. But before they could seal the game, Siraj picked the prized wicket of Sanju Samson in the 15^th over and then Reece Topley and Yash Dayal picked up a wicket each, removing Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel in quick succession.

Buttler wasn’t ready to give up and despite running out of partners, he was focused on finishing the business as soon as possible. The English batter was under the pump until Saturday night when he struck a blistering hundred in what was his 100^th IPL game.

The Royals needed 1 off the final six balls while Buttler was a six away from his hundred. Cameron Green bowled a short of length delivery onto the stumps and the RR opener took it as an opportunity to reach the milestone. Buttler pulled it over deep mid-wicket and then jumped in the air to celebrate twin feats together – a century to remember and the fourth consecutive victory of Rajasthan in IPL 2024.