IPL 2022: Karthik stars in Royal Challengers Bangalore's win over Rajasthan Royals

But Rajasthan struck back grabbing three wickets that soon left Bangalore tottering at 87/5. But the arrival of Karthik changed the complexion of the game and except Yuzvendra Chahal (2-15) none of the Rajasthan bowlers could make an impression.

Put to bat earlier, Rajasthan struggled against Bangalore bowlers who bowled tight lines on a difficult pitch. Jos Buttler (70 in 47 balls) and Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 31) breathed life into Rajasthan Royals with a late 83-run stand, allowing them to post 169/3 in 20 overs.

Dinesh Karthik, take a bow

Karthik continue to lash boundaries and there was little Prasidh Krishna or other Rajasthan bowlers could do. The dew added to their discomfort. Bangalore reach 173/6 in 19.1 overs, winning by four wickets.

A wicket, but it's too late

Boult strikes, but the wicket of Shahbaz Ahmed must have come late in the game for Rajasthan. Bangalore are in sight of victory with 156/6 in 18 overs.

A royal partnership for Bangalore

Bangalore's Shahbaz Ahmed has been on fire. Dinesh Karthik’s arrival added fuel to it. And the two launched a counter attack on Rajasthan, taking 21 of an Ashwin over, 16 from the 15th over bowled by Saini and another 13 came from the next over bowled by Prasidh Krishna. The two added 53 in 26 balls and the Bangalore chase is back on track at 139/5 in 16.3 overs

A nightmare over for Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin did everything right till his last over of the night. Dinesh Karthik showed his power-hitting skills taking 21 overs from the India Test off-spinners. That should lift the Bangalore spirits, as the scoreboard reads 114/5 in 14.2 overs.

Signs of revival and a setback

Shahbaz Ahmed shows that the fight is not yet over. Takes a four and a six from a Navdeep Saini over. That should give Bangalore some relief after a barren spell. But Saini brought a superb running catch to dismiss Sherfane Rutherford, and Bangalore hopes plummet again. They are 88/5 in 13 overs

Drama in six balls

Three wickets in six balls. Virat Kohli is gone. So are David Willey and Anuj Rawat. The Bangalore chase will lose a bit of steam. First Navdeep Saini forces Rawat to nick one to keeper Samson. Kohli is run out, and the next ball Chahal castles David Willey. Dramatic change in fortunes as Bangalore are faltering at 70/4 in 10.5 overs.

Chahal arrives, breakthrough for Rajasthan

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal came on after the powerplay which yielded 48/0 as Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis and Anuj Rawat put on 55 for the first wicket. And Chahal did what he does best. Take wickets. He forced Du Plessis to carve a catch to the deep, and Rajasthan will breathe bit easier. Virat Kohli comes to the crease. Bangalore are 60/1 in 7.4 overs.

Du Plessis leads the Bangalore charge

Captain Faf du Plessis stepped on the accelerator as he led the Bangalore chase of 170 with a flurry of boundaries against Trent Boult. Bangalore are 28/0 in 3.3 overs, as Rajasthan search for an early wicket.

Midway summary: Buttler, Hetmyer rescue Rajasthan

Jos Buttler (70 in 47 balls) and Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 31) breathed life into the Rajasthan Royals, after the Royal Challengers Bangalore strangled them with some tight bowling on a difficult pitch at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday night. The 83-run stand, of which 42 came in the last two overs, allowed Rajasthan to post 169/3 in 20 overs in Match 13 of IPL 2022.

Put to bat, Rajasthan’s Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal made light of the early loss of Yashaswi Jaisal and added 70 for the second wicket. But scoring was never easy as captain Sanju Samson found out, falling to RCB leggie Wanindu Hasaranga, who turned in a fine spell.

In the slog overs, Hetmyer and Buttler regained their touch and Buttler launched four of his six sixes to help Rajasthan score reach some respectability. It’s not a winning score but a competitive one. Rajasthan will need early wickets to make a match of it.

Buttler finds his touch late

Buttler, who looked out of sorts as he struggled with his timing, finds his touch in the 19th over. The Englishman took two sixes from Siraj and two more from Akash Deep in the final over. Hetmyer added another from the last ball and Rajasthan finish at 169/3 in 20 overs, a score that looked unlikely at one stage.

Fifty for Buttler

It hasn’t been a fluent innings from Buttler. But Rajasthan will take that. Two back-to-back sixes from Siraj takes Buttler past 50.

Hetmyer raises the scoring tempo

Scoring has been difficult as Bangalore bowlers exploited the pitch and conditions superbly. Even Buttler is struggling. But Hetmyer has cast aside the shackles and is getting some much-needed boundaries for Rajasthan, who are 146/3 in 19 overs.

Hasaranga’s tight spell

Sri Lankan leggie Wanindu Hasaranga has been a handful tonight. Rajasthan batsmen struggled against him and the scoring rate dipped. Even Buttler was unable to collar the Bangalore bowler, who returned 1-32 in his four overs. We are into the slog overs. Rajasthan are 115/3 in 16.4 overs

Slow wicket, slow going for Rajasthan

Hetmyer and Buttler are at the crease and they are unable to get the ball away. The ball isn’t coming of the wicket, and so batters have been struggling to get a move on. 15 overs gone and Rajasthan have managed only 103/3 in 15 overs.

Samson falls, stumble for Rajasthan

Skipper Samson survived a review, but exited the next ball. Chipped back to Hasaranga, who was smote for a six early in the over. This might put the brakes on Rajasthan, who are 88/3 in 12.2 overs.

Paydirt for Bangalore

Padikkal departs, skying a slower delivery from Harshal Patel. A chance for Bangalore to slow down the game. Captain Samson comes in, and he doesn’t score slowly. So Faf du Plessis should try and break this partnership early. Or they will face an uphill task. Rajasthan are 86/2 in 11.3 overs

Rajasthan shifting gears

Another catch gone down, and for four. Padikkal the beneficiary. He celebrates it with a six off the last ball. 14 runs from the Willey over. Rajasthan have stepped up the scoring. They are 73/1 in 9 overs.

Two lives and a six for Buttler

Two lives in Akash Deep’s over. Akash spills a caught and bowl chance and later Willey misjudges a skier in the deep. Undeterred Buttler slams Akash over long-off the next ball. The two lives could prove costly for Bangalore. Buttler could punish them mercilessly.

RCB bowlers keep it tight

Bangalore bowlers are giving nothing away, keeping a tight length and line. Not an easy wicket to bat with the ball nipping around. Rajasthan batsman are biding their time. They end the powerplay at 35/1 in 6 overs.

Padikkal keeps scoreboard ticking

Padikkal has been in good touch. He continues to bat in that vein, picking a six off Siraj and four from Willey. Rajasthan 26/1 in 4.1 overs. 

Jaiswal’s lean patch continues

Yashwasvi Jaiswal hadn’t have scored well in the first two games, so the caution is understandable. His miserable run continues, playing tentatively at David Willey and is bowled. This has been the pattern for Rajasthan, and that brings Devdutt Padikkal to the crease. Rajasthan are 7/1 in 201 overs

The toss and teams

RCB win the toss and choose bowl first. Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals field unchanged sides. 

Rajasthan Royals XI: S Samson (captain, wicketkeeper), Jos Buttler, Yashaswi Jaiswal, D Padikkal, , S Hetmyer, R Parag, R Ashwin, N Saini, P Krishna, T Boult, Y Chahal

Royal Challengers Bangalore XI: F Du Plessis (captain), A Rawat, D Karthik (wicketkeeper), S Rutherford, V Kohli, D Willey, W Hasaranga, S Ahamad, H Patel, M Siraj, A Deep

Rajasthan favourites to win against Bangalore

The Rajasthan Royals are in an unfamiliar position of leading IPL the points table. Two good wins on the strength of some explosive batting and doughty defence of their big totals have made them a side to reckon with in Season 15.

Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who will be aware of that the rival batting is not solely reliant of centurion Jos Buttler and Samson, but also Devdutt Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer. Some good picks in the auction in the form of Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Yuvzendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin have given plenty of teeth to the bowling attack.

Bangalore are coming off a win and loss with Faf du Plessis at the helm. Du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik form a formidable batting line-up, but the bowling is a bit thin. They heavily rely on Mohammed Siraj, Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel.

Rajasthan look favourites to stretch their win streak when they meet Bangalore at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium tonight.