IPL 2022, Eliminator, RCB vs LSG, Top Performances: Rajat Patidar’s 112, KL Rahul’s 79 and Josh Hazlewood’s 3-43 are the top three performances. RCB to play RR in Qualifier 2.
Brief Scores: RCB 207/4 (Patidar 112*, Karthik 37*, Mohsin 1-25) beat LSG 193/6 (Rahul 79, Hooda 45, Hazlewood 3-43, Harshal 1-25) by 14 runs
Player of the Match: Rajat Patidar (112* runs in 54 balls)
After an action-packed first qualifier where Gujarat Titans (GT) leapfrogged Rajasthan Royals (RR) to reach the finals, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) took on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata to book a slot for the second qualifier.
In their only and last IPL face-off, Bangalore gained victory by 18 runs over LSG. In this season, RCB, out of their eight wins in 14 league games, had won four games each while defending and chasing. On the other hand, LSG, out of their nine wins in 14 first stage games, had won seven games while defending.
After a delay of around 55 minutes due to a light drizzle, LSG captain KL Rahul won the toss and opted to field first on a track that was a belter for batting. While they had left out Jason Holder and Krishnappa Gowtham to bring in Krunal Pandya and Dushmantha Chameera; RCB had brought back Mohammed Siraj back in the side.
Read More: IPL 2022, Qualifier 1, GT vs RR, Top Performances: Pandya-Miller 106* stand takes GT into Final
Bangalore (RCB) join Royals (RR) in the second qualifier
Put in to bat first, Bangalore lost their captain Faf du Plessis for a golden duck. But 29-year-old Madhya Pradesh batter, Rajat Patidar took centrestage from thereon at another level creaming boundaries at ease to take RCB to 52/1 at the end of powerplay overs.
Virat Kohli, after his scratchy innings, was dismissed as Glenn Maxwell followed him soon too. However, Patidar kept on striking the ball high in the night sky as he cracked his maiden IPL hundred in just 49 balls.
The unbeaten 92-run partnership between him and Dinesh Karthik (37* in 23 balls) saw 84 runs being scored in the last five overs, getting them to 207/4 after 20 overs.
Lucknow lost in-form Quinton de Kock early in the innings before KL Rahul went bonkers in the final over of the powerplay to carry them to 62/2 in six overs. They did slow up a bit, but captain Lokesh Rahul reached his fifty as Deepak Hooda fired up with a 26-ball 45. Rahul did try his best with a 79-run knock but they lost the plot in the end to gift RCB victory by 14 runs.
Let’s take a look at the top performances from the game between LSG and RCB, IPL 2022.
Patidar punctured Lucknow with masterclass maiden IPL century
Rajat Patidar, who was part of the RCB set-up last year, joined them in the middle of the tournament as an injury replacement and he selected the best stage to prove the decision of ignoring him in the auction wrong.
Coming very early in the innings, Patidar began his innings with a classy backfoot punch to collect his first four before sending Krunal Pandya all over the park; he managed 29 runs in just 14 balls against the left arm spinner. Even though Bangalore lost two vital players in the form of Maxwell and Kohli, the Madhya Pradesh batter smashed his fifty in just 28 balls.
Patidar then took on leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, against whom he smashed 29 runs in just eight deliveries with three sixes and two boundaries. He celebrated his maiden IPL century in just 49 balls with a six hoisted over deep mid-wicket region.
He joined an elite list of centurions in IPL playoffs stage. He also registered the highest individual score as a RCB player in the playoffs going past Chris Gayle’s 89 against Mumbai Indians (MI). Patidar is now the highest run-scorer as an uncapped player in the IPL playoffs stage surpassing Manish Pandey’s 94 in IPL 2014.
Patidar, who finished on 112* in 54 balls, thanks to 12 boundaries and seven sixes, fired Bangalore to 207/4 at the end.
Read More: IPL 2022, RCB vs GT, Top Performances: Virat 73, Maxwell (40*) take RCB to 4 but not to Playoffs yet
Captain Rahul carried Lucknow with a 79-run knock
Chasing such a high score, LSG needed their captain to bring up a stand out performance. KL Rahul began his innings in his usual way of understanding the condition being on 9 off 11, before cracking 17 runs against Siraj in the final powerplay over. He now has 91 runs in 47 balls without being dismissed off Siraj.
As Deepak Hooda was taking charge from the other side, Rahul kept the scoreboard ticking before completing his fourth half-century of the season with a fantastic six in 43 balls.
After Hooda’s wicket, Rahul went wild with a six that he collected pulling a short ball over long-on. Since IPL 2020, Rahul has 432 runs in six innings against RCB, with three fifties and one century. He cracked a six off leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga behind square before following it up with a four.
Rahul completed 600+ runs for the third consecutive time in IPL history, along with registering his 5th season with 500+ runs. Even though he was dismissed on 79 off 58, which is the new highest individual score by an India captain in playoffs.
Read More: IPL 2022, LSG vs KKR, Top Performances: QdK’s 140* takes LSG into Playoffs; KKR eliminated
Hazlewood hurts Lucknow with vital blows at crucial stage
Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood has been excellent for Bangalore this season, with wicket-taking economical overs. He did the same on Wednesday evening. The Australia pacer got rid of good-looking Manan Vohra on 19 with a length ball that was caught at mid-wicket region.
Even after going for 35 runs in three overs, Hazlewood made a good return in the 19th over. He dismissed LSG captain KL Rahul on 79. This was the maiden time Hazlewood had the better of Rahul after going for 44 runs in 29 balls against the India batter in IPL. On the very next ball, he caught a return catch of Krunal Pandya to send him back for the first time in IPL.
Hazlewood finished with 3-43 in four overs and received good support from Harshal Patel from the other end who bowled magically with figures of 1-25 in four overs.
What’s to Come
Rajasthan Royals will meet Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second qualifier at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 27.
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