LSG vs RCBRoyal Challengers Bangalore defend 126 after horror batting show by Lucknow Super Giants

By Rajarshi GuptaRoyal Challengers Bangalore scripted a sensational victory after they defended 126 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday. LSG paid for some injudicious batting by their top-order while KL Rahul walked in to bat at No.11 after sustaining an injury which prevented him from making any impact on the match.

Karn Sharma and Josh Hazlewood were the pick of the bowlers for RCB, picking two wickets apiece but it was a stunning effort by the others in the bowling department after Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli had set up the match with a solid opening stand earlier in the evening.

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Just a few days after smashing the second highest team total in the history of the Indian Premier League, although in different conditions and at a different venue, LSG failed to chase down 127 at home thanks to some inexplicable shot-selection. LSG’s top-order was shocking in what should have been a modest chase after Naveen-ul-Haq (3 for 30), Ravi Bishnoi (2 for 21) and Amit Mishra (2 for 21) bowled heroically to restrict a strong RCB to 126 for 9.

It was a strange start to the chase by Lucknow Super Giants. They needed to go at a little more than 6-runs-an-over but Kyle Mayers tried to hit Mohammed Siraj out of the park but only managed to lift him to mid-on where Anuj Rawat gleefully took an easy catch. It was the second time that Siraj dismissed Mayers for 0 in the 2023 IPL. KL Rahul, the LSG captain, did not come out to open after suffering an injury early in the RCB innings. Ayush Badoni, the Impact Player, made little impact and was sent back for 4 off 11 balls by Josh Hazlewood. In between the dismissals of the two Lucknow openers, Krunal Pandya came in at No.3 and hit Siraj for three successive boundaries but his enterprising innings by Glenn Maxwell.

The bizarre approach from LSG’s batters was difficult to understand as one after another, they tried to hit their way out of trouble. The pitch wasn’t the easiest to bat on and it needed a little more caution. Deepak Hooda was snared by Wanindu Hasaranga for 10 before the Powerplay and when Nicholas Pooran holed out to Mahipal Lomror off Karn Sharma at deep square leg, LSG had been reduced to 38 for 5 by the end of 7 overs. The onus was now on Marcus Stoinis and Krishnappa Gowtham and they still had KL Rahul to come in.

In their previous match in Lucknow, LSG had somehow messed up a chase of 136 against Gujarat Titans who won a low-scoring game by 7 runs. However, they made amends with a record score against Punjab Kings on a fantastic batting pitch in Mohali. Back home, the LSG batters should have re-adapted to conditions at the Ekana Stadium but most of them were in such a rush to finish the chase that they could not stitch one decent partnership.

Marcus Stoinis had taken the least risks among LSG’s batters on Monday but he soon fell to a flighted delivery from Karn Sharma and at 65 for 6 in the 11th over, there was still no sign of KL Rahul as Ravi Bishnoi walked in to join Krishnappa Gowtham at the crease. In a nightmarish chase, LSG slipped further when Krishnappa Gowtham was run out in the 12th over and RCB were now eyeing one of the most dramatic wins of the season.

With 7 wickets down, Amit Mishra and Ravi Bishnoi were at the crease facing the music as KL Rahul sat padded up in the dressing-room. Despite his injury, perhaps Rahul could have come out to bat ahead of the bowlers to at least set a great leadership example. Ravi Bishnoi’s misery was ended when he was run-out by Harshal Patel and the writing was on the wall for LSG who should be utterly disappointed for lack of a better effort.

Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul knew it would be a tough task for the batters after his Royal Challengers Bangalore counterpart Faf du Plessis won the toss and decided to bat. The Ekana pitch has aided spinners and the slower bowlers this season and it was no exception on Monday.

Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli found it difficult to get the spinners away. KL Rahul walked off the field after sustaining an injury in the second over of the RCB innings but his spinners made it impossible for the dangerous RCB opening pair to race away to a quick start. Krunal Pandya bowled 3 overs for 14 runs in his first spell. Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra did their bit to put the pressure on du Plessis and Kohli who naturally targeted the pacers. Marcus Stoinis conceded 11 runs off his first over while Naveen-ul-Haq gave away 12 in his first.

Neither Faf du Plessis nor Virat Kohli could be faulted on a slow pitch. They tried to accelerate but even with their collective class, the boundaries and sixes were at a premium. Virat Kohli needed 43 to become the first batter in the history of the Indian Premier League to reach 7000 runs; even though he wasn’t explosive, Kohli was solid in a strong opening partnership with his captain. At one point, it looked like Virat Kohli would get to the milestone. However, having been tied down by the spinners, Kohli had to take a chance; he stepped down the pitch to be deceived by a googly from Ravi Bishnoi for 31.

Anuj Rawat was sent in at No.3 but the move did not work. Krishnappa Gowtham who replaced Avesh Khan specifically to make use of the slow nature of the surface, dismissed Rawat for 9 as RCB slipped to 75 for in the 12th over as the hard-hitting Glenn Maxwell joined Faf du Plessis.

Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis edged past Yashasvi Jaiswal to take the lead in the race for the Orange Cap. After playing as an Impact Player for the last few matches, du Plessis resumed his duties as RCB captain and it was business as usual for him on a tricky pitch. But he would have been disappointed with Maxwell’s decision to employ the reverse sweep against Bishnoi. Maxwell was stuck on the backfoot to a slow ball from Bishnoi and a loud appeal was upheld by the on-field umpire. Maxwell immediately reviewed the decision but it was umpire’s call and the RCB star had to walk back for just 4.

Amit Mishra struck twice on either side of a short rain-break to push RCB back further. When he dismissed Suyash Prabhudessai shortly before a steady drizzle forced players off the field, Mishra went past Lasith Malinga to go to No.3 in the all-time list for IPL wicket-takers. After the break, Mishra picked his second wicket to dismiss Faf du Plessis who was brilliantly caught by Krunal Pandya. If RCB had any hopes of a big finish from Dinesh Karthik, they were dashed by Yash Thakur whose sharp direct throw caught Karthik short of the crease at the non-striker’s end.

Naveen-ul-Haq bowled the final over of the innings and dismissed Karn Sharma and Mohammed Siraj off successive deliveries to finish with 3 for 30 off and restrict RCB to a modest 126 for 9.