Twitter Reactions: Royal Challengers Bangalore set sight on playoffs after thumping victory against RR

A resounding 112-run victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore against hosts Rajasthan Royals has breathed life into their quest for a playoff spot in the ongoing IPL 2023. Faf du Plessis side swatted aside their competitors, thanks to a stunning display by their bowlers after posting a challenging total of 171 runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore, who finished their batting innings on a high, continued the momentum in the second innings as Rajasthan's young batting sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a two-ball duck in the very first over of the chase. Jaiswal's opening partner Jos Buttler suffered the same fate in the next over as RCB took complete control of the match.

Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson also succumbed in the same over to the delight of the visitors. The Men in Pink lost three more wickets in three consecutive overs as the result became a foregone conclusion. Although Shimron Hetmyer tried his level best to get his side back into the contest with a fiery cameo, he did not receive much support from the other end as the home side succumbed to their second-lowest total in IPL history.

Anuj Rawat's belligerence finished the RCB innings on a high

It was the visitors who won the toss and decided to bat first on a seemingly spin-friendly surface at the  Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Although Rajasthan Royals did not offer freebies to RCB's star opening duo of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis in the powerplay, the duo did well to keep the scoreboard ticking.

However, the former Indian skipper was completely duped by a slower delivery from KM Asif just after the end of the powerplay. Kohli's dismissal proved to be blessing in a disguise for the visitors as the incoming Glenn Maxwell upped the ante from the get-go. Meanwhile, his skipper continued his glorious run with the bat as he registered another well-compiled half-century, his second on the trot, in a decisive stand for the second wicket.

However, RCB lost du Plessis, Mahipal Lomror and Dinesh Karthik in the space of just five deliveries to hand the initiative to the home side. Maxwell, who smashed a brisk half-century, was also cleaned up by Sandeep Sharma in the latter stages of the match. The visitors were starting down the barrel of another mediocre score before Anuj Rawat smoked 29 runs in just 11 deliveries to take his side to a competitive total of 171 runs.