In Match 31 of the Indian Premier League 2022, Royal Challengers Bangalore went up against Lucknow Super Giants at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday. Bangalore defeats Lucknow by 18 runs, scoring a solid 181/6.

Lucknow Super Giants opted to bowl first after winning the toss, RCB captain and skipper Faf du Plessis and Anuj Rawat opened the batting and scored a beautiful 96 off 64 balls with 11 fours and two sixes against Dushmantha Chameera with the ball for Lucknow. 

After 7 overs, RCB stood at 62/3.

Ravi Bishnoi comes into attack and in the fourth ball Prabhudessai proceeds over long-off and takes advantage of the free-hit courtesy a no-ball, ends with 15 runs from the over. Royal Challengers Bangalore stood at 100/4 after 12 overs with Plessis at 40 and Ahmed at 16. With their partnership worth 38 runs, RCB reached the 100-run mark.

Du Plessis kept scoring for RCB with Bishnoi into the attack for his final over. The former moves into the 90s with boundary in the last ball of the over. 18 overs later, RCB stood at 164/5 with Faf du Plessis at 90. 

Jason Holder bowls the final over for RCB’s batting. Stoinis wasted a good chance to dismiss Karthik as he dropped a sitter at deep backward point in the second ball of the over. Plessis tries to enhance it and reaches 96 but Stoinis catches at deep backward square. After 20 overs, RCB finished batting with 181/6.

Chasing the 181 target, Lucknow Super Giants started their round with Mohammed Siraj in the attack. De Kock goes off the mark with a single and seemed to be in pain as the physio checked with him but looks good. With Kohli on the side, KL Rahul gets underway with a boundary placed in the gap between cover and point. He is dismissed after nine off the over and Harshal Patel gains the big wicket of the LSG skipper. RCB opted for a review for caught behind and a spike was found on UltraEdge as the ball passed the bat. Initially given not out, the decision was reversed in favor of the RCB.  

Shahbaz comes back into the attack. Krunal Pandya braces a couple swings and brings out six runs off the seventh over. Harshal comes in the next over and replaces Siraj but Krunal collects a boundary, smashed through extra cover, placing it to perfection against Harshal. An appeal for caught behind is made in the last ball of the over against Rahul, but results in a not out verdict. Shahbaz Ahmed delivers the ninth over and LSG wins eight runs from it, including a six from Krunal.  

Josh Hazelwood causes some serious damage as he dismisses Stoinis, who was visibly agitated in the previous ball against the on-field umpire’s decision of not giving him a wide. Josh scores marvelous figures of 4/25 from four overs. 20 overs later, LSG stands at 163/8.

Harshal stays in attack during the last over of the game as Hazelwood had previously made sure Lucknow stays under them, taking the game out of their reach. Holder smashes a couple of sixes in the over yet could not scratch Royal Challengers Bangalore. Holder is removed in the fifth ball and Bishnoi enters for a single ball which ends in a dot, restricting Lucknow to 163/8 and leading to RCB’s victory. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 18 runs, finishing off with 181/6 with Faf du Plessis winning as the Player of the Match. 

Yet another brain shackling match with good effort from Royal Challengers Bangalore after the initial staggering. Keeping a word out for if Lucknow Super Kings can make a comeback for this defeat, everyone stays tuned for RCB’s next performance.