Royal Challengers Bangalore claimed the final spot in the Indian Premier League playoffs with a six-wicket win over the Delhi Daredevils Sunday afternoon.
Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders had already booked their play-off places, leaving the Challengers and Daredevils in a winner-takes- all bout at Raipur.
The play-offs get underway on Tuesday where Lions face the Challengers for a spot in the final, before Sunrisers host Knight Riders the following day to decide who plays the loser of the top-two clash to meet the winner in this year’s showpiece.
Here’s how the world of social media reacted as all four teams cemented their playoff spots…
GUJARAT LIONS
Gujarat Lions sealed top spot in the points table after a 96-run partnership between Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina set them up for a six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in their final game.
Lions ended the league stage on 18 points with a surprisingly low net run rate of -0.37 but with nine wins in the bag.
Nitish Rana did the job of keeping the left arm spinners out of the game. But overs 18/19 brilliant by Gujarat Lions
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 21, 2016
Happy mates ! Selfie time for Gujarat lions #WinningIsAHabbit 😍 #GameMaariChhe pic.twitter.com/SZfdwjNMPX
— Suresh Raina™ (@ImRainaTeam) May 20, 2016
Wrap your head around this:
— Sidvee (@sidvee) May 22, 2016
Raina has 4096 runs in 145 IPL matches (the record)
Kohli is probably going to get 1/4th of that in 16 matches
RCB move to the 2nd position. Last 5 IPL seasons have been won by the teams finishing No.2 in the Points Table! #DDvRCB
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 22, 2016
Nitish Rana did the job of keeping the left arm spinners out of the game. But overs 18/19 brilliant by Gujarat Lions
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 21, 2016
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE
Virat Kohli made a match-winning contribution – as well as surpassing the 900-run mark – as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Delhi Daredevils by six wickets to cement their place in the IPL playoffs.
It was the side’s fourth victory in a row and saw them finish second overall. Challengers finished on 16 points for the season, but climbed to second with an impressive net run rate of +0.93, thanks largely to the brilliance of Kohli.
And RCB Kohli-fies to the Semi Finals! #RCBVsDD pic.twitter.com/YDk5pVmgE3
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@TeamVirat) May 22, 2016
@RCBTweets into the playoffs!!! Super stoked!! 💃💃💃#RCB #IPL2016 pic.twitter.com/qQBqgMrko0
— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) May 22, 2016
CONRATS VIRAT THE MAGICIAN WTH INTENSTY ADAPDABILITY REPONSIBILTY TO TAKE RCB TO TOP 2.TRULY ONE OF AL TIME GREATS. 👍👏 @imVkohli @RCBTweets
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) May 22, 2016
Rest of the IPL teams- We qualified.
— Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) May 22, 2016
RCB- We Kohlified.
So, team Kohli-AB have reached the playoffs. #GL #SRH and #KKR the other three. Is there 'superman' written under that RCB jersey? #Kohli
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 22, 2016
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD
Sunrisers secured third place despite their 22-run defeat to Knight Riders, after a fine early season run that had them way out in front for the most part.
Hyderabad’s innings in their last outing unravelled quickly having briefly threatened to take the game away from KKR, but could only manage 149-8 and ended the season with a +0.24 net run rate.
Sunrisers slipped to third when they could have finished top had they won their final match.
This is @YUVSTRONG12's game from here on for #SRH.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 22, 2016
How many games did #SRH win when Warner failed this season? The cult of Warner grows stronger... #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 22, 2016
A catalogue of tactical errors from #SRH today. If anyone wants me to list them give me a hour Will take multiple tweets #IPL2016 #KKRvSRH
— Simon Peel (@365NotOut) May 22, 2016
Congratulations!!! - @TheGujaratLions, @RCBTweets, @SunRisers and @KKRiders for making it to the Playoffs #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/fztednO2Qg
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 22, 2016
We need to focus on the form we've had this #IPL and play our best in the play-offs #KKRvsSRH #OrangeArmy pic.twitter.com/b2iOo9HoH1
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 22, 2016
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS
Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed the final position in the playoffs thanks to mesmerising 22-run win over the Sunrisers and a wonderful showing from Kuldeep Yadav.
KKR finished on 16 points, winning eight games this season and ending with a net run rate of +0.11.
The 'Q' 😎😎 #KKR #KKRvSRH pic.twitter.com/Rxjaw7IRkR
— KKR Universe (@KKRUniverse) May 22, 2016
Congrats @KKRiders-strong effort 2 go into @IPL playoffs. So happy 4 @imkuldeep18 2 for 28 in 4 overs #AmiKKR pic.twitter.com/RWt1ALJzUX
— Venky Mysore (@VenkyMysore) May 22, 2016
Thk u Eden, Kolkata & Dada for all the love. Ami KKR will play to make u all proud of ur belief in us.Boys u r the stuff, champs r made of!
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 22, 2016
The young chinaman @imkuldeep18 left @SunRisers spellbound tonight! #KKRvSRH #AmiKKR pic.twitter.com/DySlOwcXv3
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 22, 2016
Yes! We are into the playoffs. Thanks to the Almighty was able to play another good knock in the game tonight. Happy Shab-e-Baraat everyone.
— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) May 22, 2016
