A look back at the finest innings played by Royal Challengers Bengaluru stars under playoff pressure
IPL Playoffs aren’t merely another game. The lights shine brighter, the nerves are tighter, and the stakes are sky-high. Some wilt under pressure, while others rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
When it comes to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), they’ve never fallen short of flair. Although trophies may have slipped through their fingers, individual brilliance? That’s never been absent.
Let’s turn back the clock and stroll through five sensational playoff innings by RCB batters—moments that illuminated the night sky, sent bowlers into hiding, and kept the dream alive.
Credit: ESPN
He wasn’t the star on the posters. But on 25 May 2022, Rajat Patidar didn’t just show up—he commanded the Eden Gardens.
Walking in with RCB faltering at 4 for 1, Patidar threw caution to the wind and swung from the hip. In just 54 balls, he lashed out 112 runs, clobbering 12 boundaries and 7 sixes. Not once did he appear rushed. He pulled out all the stops, and with a strike rate of 207.40, he propelled RCB to 207/4.
The opposition, Lucknow Super Giants (193/6), pursued but never quite caught up. Patidar walked away unbeaten, with the Player of the Match medal hanging proudly.
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You knew trouble was brewing when Chris Gayle began middling the ball. In the 2011 Qualifier 2 in Chennai, the Mumbai Indians found themselves on the receiving end of a West Indian tempest.
Gayle smashed 89 runs off 47 deliveries, hitting 9 fours and 5 sixes. He kept the run rate ticking, pushed the bowlers back, and helped RCB post a formidable 185/4. Mumbai never quite got off the blocks and ultimately fell short by 43 runs.
RCB sailed into the final, with Gayle grinning from ear to ear.
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At 68 for 6, the writing was on the wall. Or so Gujarat Lions thought. Then, in walked AB de Villiers and tore that script to shreds.
Holding firm at one end, AB pulled, lofted, and nudged his way to a crafty 79 not out off 47 balls, adorned with 5 fours and 5 sixes. His cool head and powerful wrists stitched together a miraculous chase of 159 with 10 balls remaining.
RCB didn’t just win—they snatched it from the jaws of chaos.
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Wankhede was alive with excitement. The fans were roaring. And Virat Kohli? He was anchoring.
Against a formidable Chennai attack, Kohli supported Gayle early on but soon increased the tempo. He finished unbeaten on 70 from 44 balls, with 5 boundaries and 3 sixes, aiding RCB to a total of 175/4.
Although CSK managed to chase it down in a nail-biting finish, Kohli’s innings exemplified textbook playoff composure—built from grit, laced with finesse.
Credit: ESPN
When the pressure is high, you rely on your best. And AB de Villiers, once more, didn’t flinch.
Batting first in Pune, the South African maestro crafted a 66-run gem from just 38 balls, featuring 4 fours and 4 sixes. His batting was clinical—never flashy, always effective.
RCB amassed 180/4, then decimated Rajasthan Royals, bowling them out for 109. It was a thrashing. And yes, AB once again walked away with the Player of the Match honour.
