IPL 2022: Faf, Hazlewood turn Giant slayers

As the penultimate over started, the match seem slightly tilted in the favour of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Thirty-four runs off 12 balls had been a tough ask for Lucknow Super Giants, but they boasted two big hitters in Marcus Stoinis and Jason Holder. Josh Hazlewood, already three wickets in the bag and his tail up, had the ball.
The first ball of the over was short and well wide outside off. It was a wide all day long, but umpire Chris Gaffaney was deceived Stoinis’ shuffle and didn’t call it a wide, much to the batsman’s chagrin. Stoinis was out next ball, standing almost on the tramline and trying to play a full delivery on the leg side. He played the ball onto the stumps and left with some asperity, letting out a loud “f*** you”.

That’s that from Match 31.@RCBTweets win 18 runs against #LSG.
Scorecard – https://t.co/9Dwu1D2Lxc #LSGvRCB #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/oSxJ4fAukI
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2022
That was the game for RCB, as they won 18 runs, restricting Super Giants to 163/8 after posting 181/6. Faf du Plessis was the team’s batting hero, while Hazlewood shone brightest among the bowlers with four wickets.

Good to hear Marcus Stoinis @MStoinis take his dismissal fellow Aussie Josh Hazelwood so well !😳😳😳🏏#IPL#LSGvRCB#IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/40HvJtxN6o
— Mike Bell (@MilesOnside) April 19, 2022
Du Plessis sets up win
The IPL mega auction dynamics forced Chennai Super Kings to part ways with Du Plessis. RCB pounced on the opportunity to sign up the South African for Rs 7 crore. Not only did it fill the leadership void, but after Virat Kohli’s decision to quit captaincy, the franchise also got proven quality up the order.
Du Plessis started off the IPL with an 88 against Punjab Kings. A string of low scores followed before he returned to run-scoring ways with an excellent 96 off 64 balls that had 11 fours and two sixes. He had to bat deep after his team’s poor start – two wickets in the first over, Anuj Rawat and Kohli departing in successive deliveries.

Faf du Plessis’s excellent knock comes to an end on 96.
Well played, Faf 👏👏#TATAIPL #LSGvRCB pic.twitter.com/axLj9OBqqX
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2022
RCB are far better balanced this year, not relying solely on Kohli and AB de Villiers for big scores. They also have a pace spearhead in Hazlewood, but more on him later. Du Plessis’ inclusion at the top and Dinesh Karthik’s presence in the middle-order have made RCB’s batting line-up well-rounded. And they always have Glenn Maxwell to provide real firepower.
On Tuesday, too, on a pitch that offered some extra bounce at one end, Maxwell attacked Dushmantha Chameera to regain the initiative. Consecutive fours and a six against the fast bowler allowed RCB to break the shackles. But Maxwell perished to a superb catch from Holder and from then on, the onus was on Du Plessis to carry his team’s innings.

Well played RCB’s Captain Faf du plessis. pic.twitter.com/F5pUeAYjtm
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) April 19, 2022
The skipper was circumspect to start with. At 62/4, he had to mix caution with aggression. Du Plessis waited for the loose balls to hit fours and sixes. That was his batting pattern throughout the innings. The pitch also offered a bit of turn, but Du Plessis played spin beautifully. That Ravi Bishnoi had an off day (0/47) didn’t augur well for Super Giants.
Du Plessis’ 70-run (48 balls) fifth-wicket partnership with Shahbaz Ahmed set the platform for a 180-plus total. The latter played well for his 22-ball 26, but he refused to dive and was run out. From 15th over onwards, RCB had upped their run rate to 11 and they looked set for a bigger total. But Holder was pulling things back for Super Giants and his final over was superb; only four runs were conceded and Du Plessis’ wicket had been accounted for.
Hazlewood’s four-for
RCB won this game because collectively they bowled better than their opponents. Hazlewood was the star of the pack with 4/25, but from Mohammed Siraj to Maxwell, Shahbaz and Harshal Patel, everybody contributed.
Super Giants have a fantastic opening pair in KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock. That’s their biggest strength. Rahul began with back-to-back fours against Siraj, but Hazlewood came, made one go across de Kock and induced the outside edge. Maxwell took a fine catch at first slip and it was a big blow for Super Giants.

Josh Hazlewood is on a roll!
Gets the wicket of Marcus Stoinis and with that picks up his four-wicket haul.
Live – https://t.co/9Dwu1D2Lxc #LSGvRCB #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/Wft3UrfyUA
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2022
Rahul responded to Hazlewood with a six, but the fast bowler got rid of Manish Pandey – extra bounce doing the trick – and Super Giants were under pressure. Krunal Pandya’s promotion at No. 4 was ostensibly done with an eye to pinch-hit and also countering leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who would bowl later. From RCB’s point of view, though, Rahul’s wicket was far more important. The Super Giants’ captain would be disappointed to nick a Patel delivery down the leg side and that was where the game tilted in RCB’s favour.

Our Top Performer from the second innings is Josh Hazlewood for his brilliant contribution with the ball and figures of 4/25.#TATAIPL #LSGvRCB pic.twitter.com/98QNbg5H20
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2022
Super Giants still had enough batting wherewithal to put pressure back on their opponents, but Deepak Hooda couldn’t get going and Krunal fell to Maxwell after a 28-ball 42. Ayush Badoni flattered to deceive and Stoinis’ dismissal in the penultimate over put paid to his team’s hopes.