Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore started with a loss in IPL 2022. In this match, along with the bowlers, there were mistakes in the fielding at many places and after the match, the captain Faf du Plessis himself accepted the latter. During the 17th over, Anuj Rawat dropped the catch of Odeon Smith on a personal score of 1.
That catch almost fueled the West Indies star who scored firing 25 off 8 balls and single handedly won the match for PBKS. His stormy innings included 3 sixes and a four.
Punjab Kings were always in the game, well, not in the first innings. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had a wonderful start. After struggling in the first 8 overs, Faf Du Plessis launched an assault on PBKS bowlers.
In this carnage, he spared no bowler and Virat Kohli was his partner is crime against bowlers. From over 12 to 15, RCB scored 68 runs.
Du Plessis played an important role in taking RCB to the target of 205 runs. Despite a slow start, the opener played a blistering innings of 88 runs off 57 balls with the help of 7 sixes and 3 fours. While Virat Kohli scored 41 off 29 balls, the finisher Kartik bolstered 32 off 14 balls, smearing 3 sixes.
Odean Smith was the most expensive bowler for PBKS, however, he covered it well and paid everything back in the last couple of overs of the second innings.
For Punjab Kings, Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agrawal started well and put up 71 runs partnership for the first wicket. The new batsman was Rajapakshe who struggled for a couple of balls then effortlessly cleared the fence number of times. He scored crucial runs 43 off 22 balls.
Liam Livingstone did his job as always does, hitting a monstrous six over the head of the bowler. Mohammad Siraz brought back RCB in the match by taking successive wickets of Rajapakshe and Bawa. In the end, it all came for on the shoulder of Odean Smith and and Shahrukh Khan.
Requiring 35 off 18 balls, Odean Smith took the no mercy mode and plundered everything that Mohammad Siraj dished him in the 18th over. In the next over, Shahrukh Khan did the job officially by pumping down a four straight down to the ground