IPL 2022, LSG vs RCB: Du Plessis, Hazlewood Star as Royal Challengers Bangalore Beat Lucknow Super Giants by 18 Runs

Faf du Plessis (left) and Josh Hazelwood were outstanding for RCB. (BCCI Photo)

Royal Challengers Bangalore produced an all-round performance as they defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 18 runs at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday. Batting first, a sparkling 96 from captain Faf du Plessis propelled them to a challenging 181/6 as they successfully recovered from early jolts.

Then a fine bowling performance, led by the accurate Josh Hazlewood who registered his career-best figures of 4/25 in IPL, RCB stopped LSG on 163/8 in 20 overs.

Like RCB, LSG also lost their top-three quickly with Hazlewood accounting for two of those dismissals inside five overs. Krunal Pandya (42 off 28) led a decent decent recovery. However, apart from the allrounder and captain KL Rahul, who got the start with 30 but failed to build on it, no other LSG batter managed to make a significant contribution.

The former Proteas captain had 11 boundaries and two sixes in his 64-ball innings, playing shots all around the DY Patil Stadium.

The Super Giants invited RCB to bat and the bowlers managed to strike at regular intervals but had no answers for du Plessis.

Sri Lankan right-arm pacer Dushmantha Chameer (2/31 off 3) bowled a fruitful first over for LSG, snaring the wickets of opener Anuj Rawat (4) and Virat Kohli (0), whose struggles with the bat continued as he got out for a first-ball duck.

Glenn Maxwell (23) looked to continue his explosive run in the IPL. The Australian played a counter-attacking innings as he slammed Chameera for two fours and a six in the third over.

The all-rounder, however, went down after a quick cameo while playing his favourite shot — the switch hit — as LSG took control of the match again.

Maxwell went for the reverse sweep off a Krunal Pandya (1/29) delivery but failed to middle it, with a diving Jason Holder completing the catch as RCB slipped to 44/3.