Bengaluru, India

Harshal Patel held his nerves in the final over and defended 20 runs as Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven runs at M Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru on Sunday.

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After being asked to bat first, RCB lost captain Virat Kohli on the first-ball duck, plumed in front of Trent Boult. Ironically, this was the third time while playing on April 23rd that Kohli got out on zero on the first ball. With that, Boult also completed his 100th dismissal in the IPL. The left-arm seamer picked make-shift number 3 batter Shahbaz Ahmed on two to put the hosts under pressure.

RCB, for the second time this season, was bailed by the overseas pair of Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell, who added another century-plus stand (127 this time) for the third wicket as both also completed their fifties. While Faf departed on 62, thanks to an incredible piece of fielding and a direct hit by Yashaswi Jaiswal, the BIG SHOW Maxwell got out on 77 to his old foe, Ravi Ashwin.

ALSO READ: IPL 2023: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli or someone else? Yuzvendra Chahal picks his favourite captain

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Following those two wickets, RCB tumbled and couldn’t capitalise on the start they got as they could manage 189 for nine in 20 overs.

Rajasthan, who had two different chases in the past two games, didn’t begin well as they lost their star opener Jos Buttler bowled on zero. The left-handed pair of Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal then steadied the ship with a 98-run stand for the second wicket.

However, three big wickets after that, including the Sanju Samson’s, held RR back as they were left reeling at 125 for four in the 16th over.

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While Dhruv Jurel and Ravi Ashwin looked like finishing the job for their team, smart bowling from Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel spoiled the party as they led RCB to a seven-run win over RR at home. With this win, RCB has moved to the fifth spot with four wins in seven matches.