Twitter Reactions: RCB get back to winning ways as CSK's playoff hopes are all but over

After three successive defeats, Royal Challengers Bangalore are back on the winning track as they defeated Chennai Super Kings by 13 runs, virtually knocking MS Dhoni’s team out of the IPL 2022 playoff race. It was a comprehensive win for RCB as they did well across all departments. While there were several impressive performances from the CSK camp as well, the defending champions fell well short while chasing 174.

Earlier in the match, CSK won the toss and elected to bowl at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Contrary to the previous games, RCB got off to a fine start this time around with openers Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli adding 62 runs for the first wicket. While the skipper was the aggressor, Kohli took the backseat. A shift in momentum was then witnessed as RCB lost three wickets inside 17 runs.

The ship was then steadied by the uncapped duo of Mahipal Lomror and Rajat Patidar. Both youngsters played some delightful shots all over the park, ensuring RCB’s scoring rate never went down. While Lomror made an impressive 42, Patidar scored a handy 21. The baton was then passed onto the evergreen Dinesh Karthik, who again came to the party.

CSK’s chase proceeded like a rollercoaster

Despite running out of partners, the wicketkeeper-batter scored an unbeaten 26 off 17 balls as RCB posted 173/8 in their allotted 20 overs. While Maheesh Theekshana was the pick of the CSK bowlers for taking three wickets, Moeen Ali dismissed a couple of batters. In reply, CSK got off to a perfect start as opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway added 54 runs for the opening wicket.

While Gaikwad perished for 28, Conway brought up his second successive half-century and ended up scoring 56. Just when CSK looked in command, RCB took some quick wickets to push the defending champions on the back foot. While Moeen Ali put up a good show on his comeback, he perished for 34 while trying to up the ante. As the likes of MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t do much either, CSK were eventually restricted to 160/8, losing the contest by 13 runs.

Meanwhile, let’s look at how Twitter reacted to RCB’s triumph:

Devon Conway 🧹 👏

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 4, 2022

Smart girl proposing an RCB fan. If he can stay loyal to RCB, he can definitely stay loyal to his partner 😉 Well done and a good day to propose 😄 #RCBvCSK #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/e4p4uTUaji

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) May 4, 2022

RCB defeats CSK to win the Southern Derby. RCB moves into Top 4 of Points Table.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 4, 2022

#RCB moves to number 4 in the points table in #IPL2022.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 4, 2022

Dhoni back to using spin to control games. With the depth that #RCB have, with Hasaranga and Harshal at 8 & 9, they can go much harder through the innings.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 4, 2022

Virat Kohli Reaction after Dhoni's Wicket 😮🔥@imVkohli • @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/tNp5FnZZkh

— Virat Kohli Trends™ (@TrendVirat) May 4, 2022

6th win for RCB in this IPL 2022. RCB moved to No.4 position in points table of this IPL.

— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) May 4, 2022

Taking important wickets just when the team needed it. 👊🏻

Harshal doing Harshal things. 🤩👊🏻#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2022  #Mission2022 #RCB  #ನಮ್ಮRCB #RCBvCSK pic.twitter.com/lTH0vQ4Zx3

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) May 4, 2022

Disappointing as 174 was surely with in CSK’s reach.Unfortunately 4time champion joins 5time champion in the elimination list.Full marks to rcb for defending this target in style.

— Prasanna (@prasannalara) May 4, 2022

CSK needed to play their best cricket, it was far from it.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 4, 2022