Bengaluru knocks out champion Chennai and squeezes into IPL playoffs
BENGALURU, India (AP) — Royal Challengers Bengaluru knocked out defending champions the Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs and snuck into the Indian Premier League playoffs by 10 runs on Saturday.
Bengaluru achieved an amazing comeback by rising off the bottom of the table and winning six straight games to qualify for the playoffs. The Royal Challengers have taken the fourth and last spot — only just.
Chennai needed 219 runs for an outright win but needed only 201 to reach the playoffs, but it was 10 runs short as left-arm pacer Yash Dayal held his nerve while bowling the last over. Bengaluru sneaked through on net run rate ahead of three other teams with the same 7-7 win-loss records.
Who meets who in the playoffs starting on Tuesday will be determined after the last round-robin games on Sunday.
Bengaluru posted an imposing 218-5 thanks to captain Faf du Plessis’ 54 off 39 balls and Cameron Green’s unbeaten 38 off 17.