IPL 2022, LSG vs RCB: Du Plessis-Hazlewood star as Bangalore drubs Lucknow by 18 runs; fans exulted

Match 31 of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) saw Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeat new team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Played at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, RCB scripted an 18-run win, thanks to skipper Faf du Plessis and pacer Josh Hazlewood's performances. Meanwhile, fans were delighted with this RCB win.

When winning the toss, LSG skipper KL Rahul asked RCB to bat, as it was off to a hyper start, losing three wickets with 44 runs on the board within the sixth over of the powerplay and getting down to 62/4 by the eighth. However, du Plessis (96) and Shahbaz Ahmed (26) put on a 70-run stand for the fifth wicket to bring RCB back into the innings. While du Plessis scored his 24th IPL half-century, Ahmed was run out in the 16th.

FULL SCORECARD: IPL 2022 - LSG vs RCB (Match 31)

Later, du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik (13) added 49 more for the sixth wicket before the former fell six short of his maiden IPL century, as pacer Jason Holder got his prized wicket in the final over. At the same time, RCB managed to put on a noteworthy total of 181/6. For LSG, Holder and pacer Dushmantha Chameera claimed a couple each, the former being the most economical.

In reply, LSG lost a couple within the fifth over of the PP, at 33, while Rahul (30) and Krunal Pandya (42) added 31 for the third wicket before the former was sent back by pacer Harshal Patel in the eighth. Meanwhile, Krunal and Deepak Hooda (13) put on 36 more, while the latter fell to pacer Mohammed Siraj in the 13th, at 100. However, LSG kept losing wickets every 20-odd runs thereon, as the partnerships failed to be promising enough to see it through.

FOLLOW ALL IPL 2022 UPDATES HERE

Eventually, LSG fell short by 18 runs, with a couple of wickets in hand. For RCB, pacer Hazlewood was an absolute star, claiming a four-for, while off-spinner Glenn Maxwell turned out to be reasonably economical.
Brief scores: RCB 181/6 (Du Plessis- 96; Holder- 2/25) defeats LSG 163/8 (Rahul- 30, Krunal- 42; Hazlewood- 4/25) by 18 runs.