Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were annihilated by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Faf du Plessis and Co. succumbed to their third defeat of the tournament and their second at the home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The visitors dominated in both departments to claim their second win of the season and move up to the fourth spot on the IPL 2024 Points Table.
RCB won the toss and elected to field first. Both teams made one change to their previous line-up - Yash Thakur replaced Mohsin Khan in LSG and Reece Topley replaced Alzarri Joseph in RCB. Quinton de Kock started with three boundaries off Topley in the very first over and led the way with a 56-ball 81. KL Rahul returned as the captain but was sent back by Mayank Dagar before causing serious damage.
RCB managed to pull things back in the middle phase, but Nicholas Pooran's burst in the last two overs took LSG to a competitive total. The Caribbean power-hitter smacked five sixes and a four to set RCB a target of 182. With the surface being two-paced and the ball not coming easily to the bat, LSG were confident of the total. RCB's big three (Kohli, du Plessis, Maxwell) were sent to the pavilion inside the powerplay and LSG did not allow their opponents to control the game after that.
RCB vs LSG 2nd innings highlight
Powerplay: Overs 0.1 to 6 (Mandatory - 48/3)
LSG activated their Impact Substitute - Manimaran Siddharth - and let him open the bowling attack. RCB's top order generally struggled against the left-arm spinner, and considering the pitch to aid the slow bowlers, LSG brought on Krunal Pandya in the second over. RCB captain Faf du Plessis hit two boundaries off Siddharth in the third over and Kohli greeted Naveen-ul-Haq with a six in the following over.
The Chinnaswamy crowd erupted in joy, but the left-arm spinner silenced everyone with the priceless wicket of Kohli (22 off 16 balls) in the fifth over. The final over of the PowerPlay shifted the momentum towards the visitors as du Plessis got run out and Glenn Maxwell was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Mayank Yadav.
Also Read: IPL 2024: Who is Manimaran Siddharth? - Everything you need to know about LSG impact bowler
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 50 runs in 6.1 overs
Looking at the runs, RCB had decent scoring in the first PowerPlay but they lost three key batters in this phase. Unlike previous matches, Cameron Green came in at number five and took a double off the first ball of the seventh over to complete 50 runs for the team.
First Strategic Timeout: Royal Challengers Bengaluru - 60/4 (9 overs)
Mayank Yadav struck once again as he sent Aussie all-rounder Green packing for just nine runs in the eighth over. LSG completely gained the upper hand at this stage, and the required run rate for RCB has gone over 11. Out-of-form Rajat Patidar and inexperienced Anuj Rawat are at the crease to pull the hosts out of danger.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 100 runs in 13.3 overs
RCB reached the 100-run mark with a single from their Impact Player Mahipal Lomror. The southpaw came out to bat after Marcus Stoinis got rid of Rawat in the 13th over. Lomror hit a boundary off Yash Thakur on the second ball of the 14th over and rotated the strike in the next delivery to make the scoreboard read 100/5.
End of the match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru - 153/10 in 19.4 overs
Mayank Yadav registered back-to-back three-for with the wicket of Patidar in the 15th over. In the next over bowled by Thakur, Lomror hit a couple of sixes and a four to give RCB fans a glimmer of hope. Needing 59 off the last four overs, LSG had a slight edge, but both teams had equal chances.
Also Read: RCB vs LSG: Lucknow's pace sensation Mayank Yadav clocks IPL 2024's fastest ball at 156.7 kmph
Lomror hit two boundaries off Naveen, but the LSG pacer dashed all hopes with the wicket of Dinesh Karthik. The game was done and dusted right there, but Bengaluru's tail end managed to take the game till the final over. Naveen claimed his second wicket of the night as he wrapped up the game with the wicket of Mohammed Siraj. RCB's resistance ended with just 153 runs, their third loss in four matches.
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