Rajat Patidar hits the fastest 90+ score in IPL history as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru post a record 254/5 to defeat Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1.
Introduction:
The high-stakes pressure of an Indian Premier League playoff match is traditionally a crucible where caution overrides expression, and teams retreat into conservative tactical frameworks. Yet, at a packed M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) tossed the conventional playbook into the stratosphere. In an absolute exhibition of modern T20 batting anarchy, RCB dismantled the tournament’s most revered bowling lineup to secure their place in the grand finale. See also:Â Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli Power RCB to 222/4 Against PBKS
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s imposing 254 for 5 proved entirely out of reach for the Gujarat Titans (GT), who crumbled under the scoreboard pressure to be bowled out for 162, handing RCB a thumping 92-run victory in Qualifier 1.
The architect of this historic demolition was Rajat Patidar. The local hero played what will instantly be canonized as one of the greatest playoff innings ever witnessed, blasting a delightful, unbeaten 93 off a mere 33 deliveries. His jaw-dropping assault propelled RCB to the highest-ever total recorded in an IPL playoff match.
While the defeat is a heavy psychological blow for Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans, their stellar top-two finish in the league stage provides them with a vital safety net. They now travel back to their home fortress in Ahmedabad for Qualifier 2, where they will await the winner of the Eliminator clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.
However, history now smiles decisively on Bengaluru: the last eight consecutive IPL editions have been won by the side triumphant in this exact fixture.
Powerplay Dynamics: Kohli’s Anchor and the Early Foundation
Long before Patidar launched his ballistic missile of an innings, the foundation of RCB’s record-breaking total was laid by the evergreen Virat Kohli. Opening the batting amidst a deafening wall of sound from the Chinnaswamy faithful, Kohli operated with a perfect blend of calculated aggression and veteran tactical poise. Facing a brand-new ball swung beautifully by Kagiso Rabada, Kohli anchored the initial phase, routinely stepping down the track to loft the pace spearhead over mid-off for elegant boundaries.
Kohli’s 43 off 28 balls provided the ideal operational buffer for his partners. At the opposite end, Faf du Plessis and Will Jacks played high-risk, quick-fire cameos that kept the run rate hovering near the ten-an-over mark. Gujarat’s skipper Shubman Gill threw everything at the opening partnership, introducing Jason Holder to break the rhythm. The experienced West Indian all-rounder reaped immediate rewards, unpicking Du Plessis with a slower-ball cutter before getting Jacks to miscue a pull shot straight to deep midwicket.
When Kohli fell shortly after the Powerplay, caught at backward point off Rabada, the Titans appeared to have clawed their way back into the contest with RCB delicately balanced at 102 for 3. Little did the GT bowling unit know that they were about to be subjected to a historic batting onslaught.
The Masterclass: Patidar’s Record-Breaking Carnage Unfolds
What followed over the next nine overs can only be described as pure, unadulterated batting carnage. Rajat Patidar did not just get into gear; he systematically stripped away the reputation of the tournament’s best bowling attack. Standing deep within his crease to generate immense leverage, the 32-year-old right-hander showcased a terrifying range of vertical and horizontal strokeplay.
The defining tactical breakthrough arrived in the 14th over, bowled by the secondary spinner Noor Ahmad. Patidar targeted the young Afghan wrist-spinner ruthlessly, clearing his front leg to launch consecutive, monstrous sixes over the longest boundary at deep midwicket. The assault completely altered the field restrictions, forcing Gill to pull his boundary riders inward and opening up the offside canvas. Patidar capitalised instantly, carving Rabada over extra-cover with an exhibition of pure wristwork.
Patidar brought up his half-century off just 18 balls, but he was far from finished. Alongside an incredibly inventive cameo from Glenn Maxwell, the Indian international accelerated his scoring rate to astronomical proportions. He reserved his most savage treatment for Kagiso Rabada in the penultimate over, dismantling the South African speedster for 26 runs in a single over, including three consecutive maximums that sailed clean out of the stadium.
Remaining unbeaten on 93 off just 33 balls—boasting a mind-boggling strike rate of 281.81—Patidar entered the history books by claiming the quickest innings of 90 or more in IPL folklore. RCB completed their twenty overs at an unbelievable 254 for 5, leaving the Titans visibly shell-shocked as they walked off the turf.
The Chase Disintegrates: Duffy and Krunal Stifle the Titans
Faced with a mountainous, historically unprecedented chase of 255, the Gujarat Titans required a flawless, explosive start to have any mathematical hope of victory. Instead, their top order collapsed spectacularly under the immense scoreboard pressure and the movement generated by RCB’s new-ball attack.
New Zealand speed merchant Jacob Duffy delivered a devastating opening spell that effectively ended the match as a competitive contest within the Powerplay. In his very first over, Duffy found a hint of away-swing on a pristine length, enticing an edge from Wriddhiman Saha that flew straight into the gloves of Dinesh Karthik. In his subsequent over, Duffy claimed the prized scalp of skipper Shubman Gill, unpicking the elegant opener with a brilliant back-of-the-length delivery that Gill could only top-edge to mid-on.
With the top order dismantled, veteran left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya entered the bowling tier to completely suffocate the middle corridors. Operating with an incredibly flat trajectory and subtle variations in pace, Krunal choked out any possibility of a rebuilding phase. He systematically unpicked Sai Sudharsan and David Miller in successive overs, finishing with spectacular, clinical figures of 2 for 16 from his four overs.
The lone warrior in a collapsing batting unit was the enigmatic Rahul Tewatia. Walking out with the scoreboard reading a dismal 72 for 5, the left-hander played an innings of immense professional pride and explosive power. Tewatia launched a counter-attack against RCB’s secondary bowlers, smashing a blistering 68 off 34 balls, including five towering sixes that briefly entertained the traveling Gujarat contingent.
However, his valiant solitary resistance was never going to be enough against a mountain of that size. When Duffy returned to clean up Tewatia’s stumps in the 18th over, finishing with superb figures of 3 for 39, the final resistance was officially broken. The Titans were eventually bowled out for 162 with two overs remaining, triggering wild scenes of celebration across the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB are officially into the final, and based on this performance, the defending champions look entirely unstoppable.
