IPL 2022 | LSG vs RCB | Faf, Hazlewood lead RCB to 18-run win over Super Giants

An all-round brilliant bowling performance led by Josh Hazlewood has helped the Royal Challengers Bangalore successfully defend 181 against the Lucknow Supergiants on Tuesday night and claim two more crucial points in IPL 2022.

Chasing 182 to win, KL Rahul got the Lucknow Supergiants up and running courtesy back-to-back boundaries in the first over.

The stylish right-handed batter nonchalantly punched Mohammed Siraj through the covers before flicking the seamer off his legs.

However, he soon lost his opening partner Quinton de Kock for a 5-ball 3 in the 3rd over of the innings, thanks to Josh Hazlewood, who induced a thick edge of the Proteas cricketer's bat via a back-of-length delivery.

Hazelwood dealt another blow to Lucknow in the powerplay as he dismissed Manish Pandey (6 off 8 deliveries) via another back-of-length delivery. Pandey, in an attempt to pull the lanky pacer, proceeded to mishit it straight to Harshal Patel at square-leg.

While Rahul continued to bat in his own typical manner, Krunal Pandya came out all guns blazing. The southpaw was quick to get off the blocks, smashing Shahbaz Ahmed for back-to-back boundaries in the 6th over to finish the powerplay on a high.

Lucknow attacked Harshal in his first over as Krunal and Rahul clobbered him for a couple of boundaries but it was the bowler who had the last laugh.

Rahul (30 off 24 deliveries) fell on the last delivery of the 8th over courtesy of a leg-side strangle. On first look, it appeared as if the ball had brushed Rahul's pads. But RCB still decided to challenge the on-field call, and it proved to be a masterstroke as the snickometer clearly showed a spike as ball moved past KL's bat.

Krunal and Hooda then proceeded to add 36 runs in the next 4.3 overs before Siraj sent the latter packing thanks to a brilliant diving catch by Prabhudessai.

It was a wide short ball from Siraj, urging Hooda to go for the upper-cut. But he failed to control it and Suyash did well to run all the way from backward point to finish a diving catch.

Krunal continued to go for his shots, cutting Maxwell imperiously in the following over for another boundary. But, one shot proved to be too many as he holed out at deep mid-wicket in the same over in an attempt to pull the off-spinner.

With 72 needed off the last six, it was down to Marcus Stoinis and Badoni to steer Lucknow home.

Badoni, who announced his arrival with a nonchalant whip past mid-wicket to pick up a boundary on the very first delivery he faced, ramped Siraj for another four in his next over to make his intentions clear.

But Siraj came back brilliantly to give just 3 off the next five deliveries, leaving LSG with the task of scoring 65 off the last 30.

Stoinis did swing his willow for a four and a six in the next two overs bowled by Hasaranga and Hazlewood but the duo pulled it back brilliantly and conceded just 21 runs, with the latter dismissing Badoni.

Harshal did what he always does- bowl loopy slower cutters- and conceded just 5 runs off his first 4 deliveries. He erred on the 5th delivery and Stoinis made the most of pace he got and eked out a four past third-man.

Nevertheless, despite the boundary, Harshal gave just 10 runs in the 18th over, leaving LSG with an arduous task of 34 off the last 2 overs.

Hazlewood (4/25 in four overs) got away with what was an obvious wide on the first ball of the penultimate over and what made matters worse for LSG is that the Australian knocked over his counterpart, Stoinis on the next delivery to effectively kill the chase.

Holder did wield his willow in the last over, smashing a couple of sixes, but one shot proved to be too many as he holed out to Siraj at fine-leg as Harshal nailed the final coffin in LSG's coffin. 

Faf du Plessis' 96 (64) guides RCB to 181/6 after a scrappy start

Batting first, the Royal Challengers Bangalore once again got off to a horrendous start in the powerplay.

Sri Lankan seamer Dushmanta Chameera landed dual body blows on the Faf du Plessis-led unit as he dismissed Anuj Rawat (courtesy of a brilliant diving catch from KL Rahul) and former skipper Virat Kohli for a golden duck on consecutive deliveries in the first over of the innings.

Du Plessis once again went at less than run-a-ball in the powerplay (15 off 17 deliveries) and it was only because of Glenn Maxwell's whirlwind onslaught against Chameera that RCB managed 47 runs in the first six.

Maxwell was eventually dismissed by Krunal Pandya courtesy of a sensational catch by Jason Holder at short third-man but not before he had smashed 23 off just 11 deliveries, which included three fours and a six off Chameera in the 3rd over.

Suyash Prabhudessai played a delightful stroke which went for a six during his 9-ball 10 but the young lad once again failed to convert his start into a big knock and perished to Holder in an attempt to pull a short-pitch delivery.

At 62/4, RCB desperately needed a partnership to restore their ship and they got thata  in the form of 70-run-stand in the next 8 overs between Du Plessis and Shahbaz Ahmed (26 off 22 deliveries).

du Plessis completed his half-century in 4o deliveries and he celebrated that with a six and a four off Krunal in the 15th over. 

The partnership was eventually broken courtesy of a run-out that sent Shahbaz packing.

Du Plessis faced 20 out of the last 30 deliveries of the innings and scored just 35 runs before eventually falling for a 64-ball 95. Dinesh Karthik also didn't look in the best of touch tonight, scoring just 13 off 8.

As a result, RCB managed just 51 runs in the last five, out of which just 4 came in the final over bowled by Jason Holder (2/25 in four overs), eventually finishing with 181/6 in 20.

Brief Scores:

Royal Challengers Bangalore - 181/6 (20)

Faf du Plessis- 96 (64), Shahbaz Ahmed- 26 (22);

Jason Holder 2/25 (4), Dushmantha Chameera 2/31 (3)

Lucknow Super Giants - 163/8 (20)

Krunal Pandya 42 (28), KL Rahul 30 (24); 

Josh Hazlewood 4/25 (4), Mohammed Siraj 1/31 (4)

Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 18 runs.