Du Plessis hails middle order as Bengaluru clinch last IPL play-off spot

They beat Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to seal progress

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's captain Faf du Plessis (C) gestures during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 18, 2024. (Photo by Idrees MOHAMMED / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Cameron Green, left, and teammate Rajat Patidar. AFP

Bengaluru's Virat Kohli celebrates after taking a catch to dismiss Chennai Super Kings' Daryl Mitchell. AFP

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's players celebrate after the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni, caught by Swapnil Singh off the bowling of Yash Dayal. AFP

Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni made 25 off 13 balls. AP

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's players celebrate after the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Rachin Ravindra, who was run out on 61 by Swapnil Singh. AFP

Chennai Super Kings' Ravindra Jadeja plays a shot on his way to making 42 not out. AFP

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Glenn Maxwell, centre, celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for a first-ball duck. AP

Chennai Super Kings' Shardul Thakur appeals for a wicket. The bowler finished with figures of two for 61 off four over. AFP

Chennai Super Kings' Shardul Thakur takes a catch to dismiss Rajasthan Royals' Dhruv Jurel. AFP

Bengaluru's Cameron Green plays a shot during his innings of 38 not out off 17 balls. AFP

Royal Challengers' Rajat Patidar made 41 before he was caught by Daryl Mitchell off Shardur Thakur. AP

Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis celebrates after reaching his half-century. He was run out by Mitchell Santer for 54 off 39 balls. AFP

Chennai players celebrate after the dismissal of Bengaluru's Virat Kohli, caught by Daryl Mitchell off the bowling of Mitchell Santer. AFP

Bengaluru's Virat Kohli hits out on his way to a score of 47 off 29 deliveries. AP

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis showered praise on the team's middle order after they grabbed the final play-off spot in the Indian Premier League after a stunning turnaround in the tournament.

A top-four finish looked like a distant dream for the star-studded squad after they succumbed to their sixth consecutive defeat of the season against table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders last month.

Bengaluru, chasing their maiden IPL title, staged a remarkable turnaround and Saturday's 27-run victory against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in a virtual play-off shoot-out was their sixth victory on the trot.

Du Plessis (54) and the league's leading scorer Virat Kohli (47) gave Bengaluru a strong start and their middle order followed suit to steer the team to a commanding 218-5 in their final group match.

Chennai managed 191-7 in reply in the rain-affected match as Bengaluru joined Kolkata, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the play-off.

"It felt like a day-five Test match," du Plessis said explaining how difficult the pitch was to bat on after rain interrupted play.

"For me and Virat to just get through it and find a way somehow... and then in the back end to get a 200 score was unbelievable."

Middle-order batters Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell produced breezy cameos to take Bengaluru past the 200-mark.

"That's been our last six games, hasn't it? Contributions from many batters with good intensity and good strike-rates," player-of-the-match Du Plessis said.

"At the beginning of the season, we felt like we were a little slow and we wanted a bit more intent in our batting innings. And to have done that again is awesome."