IPL 2023: Bangalore win battle of Royals as they beat Rajasthan by 112 runs in Jaipur

The Royal Challengers Bangalore have emerged as winners in the battle of Royals as they beat Rajasthan by 112 runs in Jaipur on Sunday. Riding on a perfect start with the ball in hand, RCB wrapped up RR’s innings on a mere 59 – their second-lowest total in IPL history and bagged two crucial points. With this loss, Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2023 campaign looks like over.

Deciding to bat first after winning the toss, the RCB, for the nth time this season, got off to a comfortable start with Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli completing another fifty-run-stand for the first wicket. Following Virat’s wicket on 18, another in-form batter Glenn Maxwell joined the party, and the pair took the attack to the opposition.

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After Faf reached his fifty, he got out on 55 off 44 balls, while the ‘Big Show’ Maxwell maintained the scoring rate with a quick-fire half-century. Adam Zampa then provided RR with crucial breakthroughs as he removed Mahipal Lomor and Dinesh Karthik off successive balls. Maxwell soon departed, as RCB looked like settling for an average score after a good start.

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Keeper-batter Anuj Rawat’s late onslaught changed the equation as RCB ended the innings on 171 for five in 20 overs.

Fighting for a place in the playoffs, Rajasthan needed to win this game. However, what transpired during the chase left everyone shell-shocked as they got all out on a mere 59 – the second-lowest total in their tournament history.

Mohammed Siraj got rid of dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first over, while Wayne Parnell removed Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson in the next one to put RR in trouble. Before a partnership could save Rajasthan’s sinking ship, they lost three more wickets in the next four overs.

Though Shimron Hetmyer went for the counter-attack by hitting Karn Sharma for three sixes in an over, mistiming one straight to the fielder on deep long on ended his innings and RR’s hope of making it to the playoffs.

Soon after, the remaining two wickets fell as the team got bundled out on 59.

With this win, RCB has climbed to fifth place on the points table with 12 points from as many games. For them to stay alive in the race for the knockouts, they need to win the remaining two matches. On the other hand, Rajasthan’s IPL 2023 campaign looks over, as they have 12 points from 13 games, and even a win in the final match will not ensure their place in the playoffs.