IPL 2023: RCB bowl out RR for 59 to keep playoffs hopes alive

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowled out Rajasthan Royals (RR) for 59 on Sunday and kept their playoffs hopes alive in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

In reply to RCB’s 171 for 5 in 20 overs, RR managed just 59 runs – the third lowest total in IPL history. Ironically, RCB hold the record for the lowest IPL total – 49. The second and the third lowest totals in the competition belong to RR – 58 and 59.

The latest 112-run defeat is RR’s fourth loss in five games in the ongoing season in the IPL, while it was RCB’s first win after suffering two back-to-back losses.

Mohammed Siraj dismissed the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal in the very first over for a two-ball duck. In the next over, Wayne Parnell removed the other opener Jos Buttler also for a two-ball duck. Inside six overs RR lost five wickets, with Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, and Joe Root following the two openers back to the pavilion.

Parnell was named the Player of the Match for finishing with an incredible spell of 3 for 10 in three overs. New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell also stepped up in the second innings with two wickets for just 16 runs in three overs. The other wickets were claimed by RCB’s Karn Sharma, Glenn Maxwell, and Siraj.

After opting to bat in Jaipur on Sunday, RCB had a decent start as they put up 50 runs for the first wicket before Virat Kohli got out for 18 runs in the seven over. RCB captain Faf du Plessis scored a crucial fifty, while Maxwell produced a significant knock of 54 off 33 balls. Anuj Rawat, towards the end, scored vital 29 runs off just 11 deliveries that took RCB’s total to a respectable 171.

Speaking after the game, Parnell credited RCB’s batters for their victory.

“Obviously, credit to our batters. The last over gave us momentum. We could execute well. The message was to take pace off the ball. Bowl it at the sticks. We were able to execute everything. The surface was low, slow and skiddy. Was trying to make them play across the line. When I wasn't playing, I was preparing. It is a long tournament and you need to be switched on every game,” added Parnell at the post-match presentation.

It was RCB’s sixth victory in 12 games. Despite having 12 points each, RCB replaced RR from fourth place due to a superior net run-rate.

RCB captain du Plessis credited his team and said that the boys needed more of this winning confidence now that the tournament has entered in its business end.

“Really good for our NRR. Tough pitch. We batted first and assessed the conditions. We batted in the powerplay and thought 160 will be a good score. We have had a good set up till the 15th over. But we managed to capitalize on the momentum shift at the end. Great job. Bracewell would want to bowl on this every day of the week.

“We needed a left-arm spinner. May be Shahbaz could have been an option. Wrist spin could have been an attacking option. Hopefully, we can set it up for the last game at the Chinnaswamy. Today was a good one for the team. They needed this confidence to go into the last two games,” added du Plessis.