RCB get the better of LSG in low-scoring heated encounter

Tags: Indian T20 League 2023, Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 43rd Match at Lucknow, May 01, 2023, Bangalore XI, Lucknow XI

Published on: May 02, 2023

Scorecard | Commentary | Graphs

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 18 runs in match number 43 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Monday, May 1. Batting first after winning the toss, RCB put up 126/9 on a very tough batting surface. Their bowlers then held LSG to 108 in 19.5 overs.

A heated exchange between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq, however, dominated headlines. The spillover effect was seen after the game as well when Kohli took on the LSG camp, including his old nemesis Gautam Gambhir.

Speaking of the cricket in the game, RCB skipper Faf du Plessis top-scored for his team with a fighting 44 off 40 balls. Kohli contributed 31 off 30 and was stumped off Ravi Bishnoi’s bowling. Dinesh Karthik (16) was only other RCB batter to reach double figures. For LSG, Naveen-ul-Haq claimed 3/30, while spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra claimed two scalps each.

LSG vs RCB

Lucknow never get got going in the chase. Kyle Mayers (0) fell to Mohammed Siraj in the first over. Ayush Badoni (4), Krunal Pandya (14), Deepak Hooda (1), Marcus Stoinis (13) and Nicholas Pooran (9) and came and went. LSG also suffered because Rahul could not bat due to an injury. He came into bat at No. 11 and was unbeaten on 0.

Krishnappa Gowtham top-scored for LSG with 23 off 13, while Amit Mishra scored 19 and Naveen-ul-Haq 13. For RCB, Karn Sharma and Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets each.

Speaking after the win, Bangalore skipper Du Plessis said, Faf, Player of the Match, “We played really well in the first six overs. That's when you can play the same way. To have a fifty partnership in the six overs was match changing. Batting first was important. Spinners was hard work. Even Mahipal got the ball to hold. If you can bowl the ball on a good area, it's pretty hard to score. Would've liked 135 - in my mind that was a really good score.”

HE added, “Before we went on the field, we said to the guys it's a match-winning score. Felt if we get 2-3 in the powerplay, especially with KL not being there, it's going to be difficult. Super happy for Karn. Just one of those guys who does the hard work all the time but doesn't get the recognition. Great to have Hazlewood back.”

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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