IPL 2023, LSG VS RCB: Bangalore Win Low-Scoring Thriller in Lucknow

IPL 2023, LSG VS RCB: In a dramatic match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), RCB emerged victorious by 18 runs on Monday, May 1. This victory marked RCB’s fifth win of the season, and Faf du Plessis’ leadership helped the team move up to the fifth position in the points table. Despite putting in a valiant effort, LSG was unable to chase down the target of 127 runs, resulting in their slip to the third position in the standings. With LSG’s loss, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) climbed up the rankings, benefitting from their position.

The match took place on a difficult pitch where the majority of the batsmen found it challenging to stay on the crease. However, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis provided a good start to RCB despite struggling to play their natural game on the sluggish surface that offered very little bounce. The opening pair shared a valuable partnership of 62 runs in 54 balls before Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Kohli. Kolhi was stumped for 31.

IPL 2023, LSG VS RCB: The Course of the Match

After the dismissal of Kohli, RCB continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, and only one batsman apart from Kohli and du Plessis was able to reach double digits. Du Plessis remained in the middle till the 17th over, scoring 44 off 40 balls, while Dinesh Karthik was the only other player to score in double digits, managing 16 runs.

In the last five overs of the innings, RCB could only add 34 runs to their total and lost five wickets in the process. The LSG bowlers, especially Naveen-ul-Haq, were impressive, with the former taking three wickets for 30 runs off his four overs, while spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra picked up two wickets apiece. Despite the loss of wickets, du Plessis’ presence in the middle ensured that RCB was able to post a defendable total on the board.

IPL 2023, LSG VS RCB: Hapless Lucknow Registered Another Loss on Home Turf

In the absence of their injured skipper, KL Rahul, LSG opened the innings with Kyle Mayers and Ayush Badoni. However, Mohammed Siraj struck in the first over disrupting their plans and dismissing Mayers for a duck. Krunal Pandya then managed to hit Siraj for three boundaries in the following over to gather 16 runs. But his quickfire innings were cut short by Glenn Maxwell for 14 runs. Josh Hazlewood then removed Badoni for just four runs, leaving LSG struggling at 21 for 3.

LSG’s middle-order batsmen Deepak Hooda and Nicholas Pooran could not offer much resistance either, and the team found itself struggling at 38 for 5 after seven overs. Krishnappa Gowtham and Marcus Stoinis tried to hold the innings together, but RCB dismissed both of them in quick succession. Karn Sharma broke the partnership by removing Stoinis for 13 runs, while Gowtham fell for 23 soon after, leaving LSG at 66 for 7 in the 12th over.

Despite their wickets falling rapidly, LSG’s tailenders managed to delay the inevitable and take their score past the 100-run mark, but they were eventually all out for 108 on the second last ball of the match. Rahul came out to bat in the 19th over but could not contribute much to the scorecard, remaining not out on 0 off 3 balls.