In 2010, an underwhelming clash between Deccan Chargers and RCB gave us a lopsided story, a legendary spell, and a footnote in IPL’s colourful history
It was a fixture no one really asked for. April 24, 2010. DY Patil Stadium. A third-place playoff. Yes, that odd addition to the IPL's third season calendar. Sandwiched awkwardly between the semi-finals and the final, this game was meant to decide which side would claim the last ticket to the Champions League T20.
On one side stood the Deccan Chargers—defending champions, bruised from a semi-final loss. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru is still hungry and sharp.
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But what unfolded was not a contest. It was more like a procession. The Chargers crumbled like a house of poorly dealt cards. And RCB barely broke a sweat.
Deccan's innings was a masterclass in misfiring. Blink, and you'd miss a wicket. Stay too long, and you'd question your choice of entertainment. Adam Gilchrist opened the innings—and also opened the floodgates. Out in the very first over, he sliced a full toss straight to Kallis. From 4 for 1, it soon became 4 for 2, and then 15 for 3.
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Rohit Sharma, Andrew Symonds, and Dwayne Smith—all known match-winners—folded one after another. They didn't just fall—they unravelled. Every ball seemed like a riddle they couldn't solve.
In a line-up full of familiar faces, it was Anirudh Singh—Deccan's unexpected saviour—who stood firm. He scored 40 off 39 balls. Not flashy. Not fearless. Just functional. His performance was a calm amidst the chaos. A square drive here, a six there, a handful of nudges, and a dose of grit.
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Deccan's innings fizzled out when he finally walked back in the 16th over, bowled by Jacques Kallis. From 78 for 6 to 82 all out in 18.3 overs, the wheels came off swiftly. Not a single batter apart from Anirudh managed to surpass 25. Nine players didn't even reach 5. That, in itself, spoke volumes.
RCB's bowlers were clinical, but one man stood out like a sore thumb at a manicure salon—Anil Kumble. The veteran spinner wasn't just accurate; he was poetic in his destruction, with figures of 4 for 16 in 3.3 overs.
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While Dale Steyn and Praveen Kumar tightened the screws, Kumble hammered in the nails. It was the kind of performance that made you stop and marvel.
Chasing 83 was always destined to be a mere formality. And RCB approached it as such. Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid strode out with their customary poise. They were in no hurry. The scoreboard ticked away. Boundaries came at a leisurely pace. Kallis contributed 19 before Rahul Sharma took a catch that stuck in his hands.
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By that time, RCB had already amassed 36 runs. Kevin Pietersen joined Dravid, and the duo finished the match off in style. KP struck a couple of sixes merely to stretch his arms, while Dravid remained unbeaten on 35. It took just 13.5 overs. That's all.
In a tournament known for fireworks, this was a damp sparkler. The crowd barely showed up, and the energy was flat. However, buried beneath the boredom was a peculiar bit of trivia—this was the only third-place playoff in IPL history. It never happened again.
RCB earned their ticket to the Champions League. Kumble walked away with the Player of the Match. Deccan walked off with their heads hung low. And for everyone else, it was just another match to move past.
