RCB Beat LSG IPL Match 43 2023: Royal Challengers Bangalore Win by 18 Runs – On May 1, 2023, the 43rd match of the Indian Premier League was held in Lucknow between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Lucknow Super Giants. The match was played on a black-soil pitch, which made it difficult for the batsmen to score runs.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore won the match by 18 runs, defending their score of 126/9 against the Lucknow Super Giants, who were all out for 108 in 19.5 overs.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and chose to bat first. Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli opened the innings and added 62 runs in nine overs. However, the innings never really picked up pace, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore finished with a modest score of 126/9.
RCB Beat LSG IPL Match 43 2023 Royal Challengers Bangalore Win by 18 Runs IPL Match Result
Lucknow Super Giants’ bowlers Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Amit Mishra, and K Gowtham combined to bowl 13 overs of spin and picked up 5 for 73 between them. Naveen-ul-Haq also picked up three wickets at the death to restrict the Royal Challengers Bangalore to a low score.
In response, the Lucknow Super Giants had a disastrous start, losing five wickets for just 38 runs in seven overs. Marcus Stoinis and Krishnappa Gowtham fell in back-to-back overs, and the Lucknow Super Giants were soon 77 for 8.
KL Rahul, who had hobbled off the field after hurting his right leg in the second over of the game, came out to bat at No. 11 when the Lucknow Super Giants needed 24 runs off eight balls.
However, it was clear that Rahul was not going to run between the wickets. He played three dots, one of which was a free hit, and then saw Amit Mishra trying and failing to score the required 23 runs in the final over.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore’s slow start was a cause for concern, as they scored only 20 runs in the first three overs. However, du Plessis and Kohli tried to break the shackles in the fourth over, with du Plessis hitting Naveen for a straight six and Kohli following it with a four.
RCB Beat LSG IPL Match 43 2023 Royal Challengers Bangalore Win by 18 Runs IPL Match Result
Krunal and Bishnoi conceded only ten runs in the next two overs, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore finished the powerplay on 42 for no loss.
Bishnoi got the wickets of Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, who tried to reverse-sweep a Bishnoi legbreak only to get hit on the thigh and be given out lbw. Mishra had Suyash Prabhudessai caught at long-off, courtesy an excellent diving catch by Gowtham, to leave the Royal Challengers Bangalore 90 for 4.
Mohammed Siraj was lethal with the new ball this season, and he once again struck early, having Kyle Mayers caught at mid-on with the second ball of the chase.
After two overs, the Lucknow Super Giants were 2 for 1. Krunal hit Siraj for three successive fours in the third over to move the needle, but the Lucknow Super Giants lost four wickets in the next four overs. Krunal was the first to go, chipping Maxwell to long-off.
From the other end, Josh Hazlewood removed Ayush Badoni, who had come in as Impact Player for Thakur and opened the innings.
The Lucknow Super Giants still looked to attack their way to the target. Gowtham hit Karn for a six and four, and followed it with another six off Hasaranga. That reduced the equation to 64 needed from the last ten overs.
RCB Beat LSG IPL Match 43 2023 Royal Challengers Bangalore Win by 18 Runs IPL Match Result
But when Stoinis tried to go big against Karn, he sliced it to long-off. In the next over, Gowtham too perished, his casual running while returning for a second run leading to him being run-out.
LSG needed 49 runs in the last five overs with two wickets in hand. Mishra and Naveen were in the middle, and Rahul was still padded up in the dugout. The required rate kept ballooning, and when Rahul finally walked in, it was too late because he couldn’t run and Mishra couldn’t get the boundaries.
Faf du Plessis was named the Player of the Match for his knock of 44 runs off 40 balls. Krishnappa Gowtham was named the MVP by Cricinfo, with an Impact List score of 74.48 points.
In conclusion, the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s bowlers did an excellent job of defending a low score on a difficult pitch, reducing the Lucknow Super Giants to 38 for 5 and then 66 for 7 with Rahul injured. The Royal Challengers Bangalore’s slow start was a cause for concern, but du Plessis and Kohli tried to break the shackles and set the platform for a modest total.
The Lucknow Super Giants had a disastrous start and never really recovered, losing wickets at regular intervals. In the end, the Royal Challengers Bangalore won the match by 18 runs, defending their score of 126/9.
