Picture : Twitter / IPL
In the 13th match of the Tata IPl 2022 at Wankhede Stadium , Royal Challengers Bangalore beat the Rajasthan Royals in a close encounter by 4 wickets.
After RCB skipper Faf du Plessis chose to field first, The Royals could manage 169/ 3 in their 20 overs . Centurion in the previous match Jos Buttler continued his rich form remaining unbeaten on a typically power packed 47 ball 70 with six maximums, Yashasvi Jaiswal ( 4), Devdutt Padikkal ( 37 ) , Skipper Sanju Samson ( 8) , Shimron Hetmyer not out 42 ( 31 balls, 4 fours two sixes ) were the scorers for the Royals. The target though modest was seemed good since Royals had a good bowling attack
RCB bowling unit had tough day and the figures said it all. Mohammed Siraj 0/ 43 ( 4 overs), David Willey 1/ 29 ( 4 overs), Akash Deep 0/ 44 ( 4 overs) , Wanindu Hasaranga 1/32 (4 overs) , Harshal Patel 1/ 18 ( 4 overs) was impressive
Chasing 170, RCB almost made a mess of the run chase as they lost early wickets. Openers Skipper Faf du Plessis ( 29), Anuj Rawat ( 26) put on 55 for the first wicket but soon fell quickly . Virat Kohli was unfortunately run-out for 5 , David Willey ( 0)and Sherfane Rutherford ( 5) meant that RCB was tottering at one point at 86/ 5 in 12. 3 overs. Then came the game changing partnership between Shahbaz Ahmed and Dinesh Karthik . Karthik has been in terrific form and once again showed why he such a goof finisher and a fine reader of the game with a fine unbeaten 23 ball 44 ( 7 fours 1 six) . Shahbaz Ahmed played beautifully and was out for a well made 26 ball 45 ( 4 fours , 3 sixes) and he got good standing ovation from the team-mates at the dug-out . They took RCB nearly home . Shahbaz was out when the total was 154 . Harshal Patel finished the match with a six of the first ball of the 19th over bowled by Yashasvi Jaiswal and was unbeaten on 9 as RCB romped home by 4 wickets with five balls to spare with total reading 173/6 in 19.1 0vers.
For the Royals , For a change Trent Boult was bit expensive 2/ 34 ( 4 overs) , Prasidh Krishna 0/ 40 ( 4 overs) struggled with his line and length, Ravichandran Ashwin 0/ 39 ( 4 overs) , Yuzvendra Chahal was superb yet again with 2/ 15 ( overs) , Navdeep Saini 1/ 36 ( 3 overs) , Yashasvi Jaiswal 0.1 / 6 runs
