The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have consigned the Rajasthan Royals to a massive loss in IPL 2023 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. By managing only 59 runs on the board in pursuit of 172, the loss has put a significant dent in their playoffs spot, especially with the competition getting stiffer.
Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell register fifties:
After winning the toss, Faf du Plessis asked the Royals to bat first and the captain himself justified the decision as he struck his seventh fifty of the season after Virat Kohli's sluggish 18. The former South African captain shared a strong 69-run stand with Maxwell before holing out to short extra cover for 55. Adam Zampa, who was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-0-25-2, dismissed Mahipal Lomror and Dinesh Karthik in consecutive deliveries in the 16th over to bring the hosts back in the contest.
Anuj Rawat gives RCB the required impetus:
Just when it looked like the Royal Challengers would end up with a below-par total, Anuj Rawat gave his side the required momentum in the last over. The left-hander smashed KM Asif for consecutive sixes and a boundary to take 18 runs. While Mike Hesson claimed in the innings break that the score was slightly above par, it was only an understatement.
RCB pacers leave Royals' top-order in a mess:
Chasing a stiff 172, the inaugural IPL champions got off to the worst possible start, sliding to 7-3 with two overs as both openers departed without troubling the scorers. Skipper Sanju Samson and Joe Root, batting for the first time in the IPL, couldn't make the difference that fans expected them to.
With four sixes, Shimron Hetmyer gave the Royals some hope before toe-ending the ball to Michael Bracewell at long-on. Hetmyer's 35 was the top score among all, and he was the only Royals batter other than Root to reach double figures. The final wicket of KM Asif was symbolic of Rajasthan's batting performance as he tried to smack a full delivery from Karn Sharma out of the park unsuccessfully.
