'Onward and upward towards the trophy' - Vijay Mallya tweets congratulatory message for RCB after playoffs entry

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) reached the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons after defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 27 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 18. Former RCB co-owner Vijay Mallya shared a congratulatory message after Faf du Plessis and Co. won their sixth game on the trot to secure a place in the Eliminator of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

RCB were in dire straits earlier in the season after suffering defeats in seven out of their first eight matches. However, the players showed tremendous belief and togetherness in adverse times and wrote a redemption story for the ages. On Saturday, they knocked the defending champions out of the competition and entered the playoffs as the fourth-placed team on the points table.

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After the epic result, Mallya lauded the determination and skill of the players and wished them well for the business end of the tournament.

“Heartiest congratulations to RCB for qualifying in the top four and reaching the IPL playoffs. Great determination and skill have created a winning momentum after a disappointing start. Onward and upward towards the trophy,” Mallya wrote on his official 'X' (formerly Twitter) handle.

Faf du Plessis leads from front, bowlers stick to plans as RCB go through

Du Plessis and Virat Kohli stitched a 78-run opening stand to get RCB off to a solid start after Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and opted to bowl first. Kohli scored a 29-ball 47, while du Plessis was dismissed for a 39-ball 54. In-form Rajat Patidar smashed a 23-ball 41 to keep the momentum going through the middle overs. Cameron Green remained unbeaten on 38 off 17 balls and received support from Dinesh Karthik (14 off 6) and Glenn Maxwell (16 off 5) to take the home side to 218/5 in their 20 overs.

Also Read: Watch: Delirious RCB fans escort team bus after Chinnaswamy classic

The hosts needed to restrict CSK to 201 or less to reach the playoffs. Rachin Ravindra's 61 off 37 balls and Ravindra Jadeja's 42 not out off 22 balls kept the visitors in the hunt till the end. MS Dhoni also played a swashbuckling knock of 25 off 13. However, in the end, the Men in Yellow could only manage 191/7 in their 20 overs as RCB stormed into the playoffs.