Mumbai, May 22: Royal Challengers Bangalore became the last team to qualify for the playoffs after Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022 league match at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday (May 22).
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were seated at the fourth spot in the points table with 16 points but their net run rate was -0.253 but needed Mumbai to defeat Delhi in their final league match of the tournament. MI defeated DC by 5 wickets to ensure the Faf du Plessis-led side booked the playoffs berth.
After qualifying for the playoffs, Faf du Plessis, RCB captain said, "It was so good, I think first of all it was really nice to see that everyone was here from the start of the game, so we watched it together. We were all shouting for every wicket that Mumbai got and then when they are chasing every boundary. It's good for everyone to watch together and then the celebration towards the end was awesome to be a part of. In the last game we played, we felt almost like we played our best game of cricket of this campaign so far and that is how you want to enter the knockout stages, so we needed someone to do us a favour and Mumbai did that for us, we are very thankful for that. Obviously now the work starts again, and we get our work mode back on."
RCB star batter Virat Kohli - who slammed a match-winning half-century in the previous game - while keeping his emotions in check, said, "It was unbelievable. The emotions in the changing room were unbelievable. Thank you, Mumbai, we will remember this one."
RCB all-rounder Glenn Maxwell said, "Amazing result for us tonight. There is just one small step in us going further, we are that close to making history for RCB in this tournament. We needed another team, but from now on it's all us."
RCB will now face Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator on May 25 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.