NEW DELHI: After a month of hard work and some favorable circumstances, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s hopes disintegrated in the dry heat of the Narendra Modi stadium on Wednesday, as they were knocked out of IPL-17 by a resolute Rajasthan Royals.

Entering the crucial Eliminator match with high spirits, RCB had impressively won six consecutive games, securing a playoff spot that seemed unattainable following a dismal first half of the season with just one win in eight matches.

Meanwhile, the inaugural champions Rajasthan had been struggling, unable to secure a win in their last five games, one of which was abandoned. The momentum appeared to favor RCB, given the individual performances of their players.

Despite a shaky batting performance resulting in a modest total of 172/8 and misfielding that allowed Rajasthan openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler-Cadmore to dominate, RCB maintained their fighting spirit, taking regular wickets to stay competitive.

A highlight moment came when Virat Kohli’s stunning throw from the outfield resulted in a controversial run-out of Dhruv Jurel, leaving Rajasthan in a precarious position at 112/4 in the 14th over, needing 61 runs off 41 balls.

Riyan Parag, in exceptional form this season, played a crucial 26-ball 36, forging a game-changing 45-run partnership with Shimron Hetmyer.

Although Parag was eventually bowled by Mohammed Siraj, Rajasthan needed only 16 more runs, which they managed comfortably despite a brief scare when Hetmyer was dismissed.

Rajasthan secured victory with six balls and four wickets to spare, setting up a Qualifier 2 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Friday.

Rajasthan’s bowlers, particularly Trent Boult (1/16) with his exceptional opening spell, and spinners R Ashwin (2/19) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/43), played a significant role in restricting RCB to a subpar score. Despite RCB’s efforts, Rajasthan’s determination proved too strong.

(With inputs from Indian media)