Close to 40 per cent of RCB’s deliveries – 45 out of 120 balls – were dug in short. The tactic worked, with the rewards both instant and significant. The RCB bowlers claimed six wickets – Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Nishant Sindhu, Arshad Khan, Jason Holder and Rashid Khan – through their short-ball strategy. The only batters who were not dismissed off short-of-a-length deliveries were Jos Buttler and Rahul Tewatia. Buttler was stumped off a wide delivery from Krunal Pandya, while Tewatia mistimed a slog off Rasikh Dar’s slower ball.
