Recent Match Report – RCB vs Titans 43rd Match 2022

Gujarat Titans 174 for 4 (Tewatia 43*, Miller 39*, Shahbaz 2-26, Hasaranga 2-28) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 170 for 6 (Kohli 58, Patidar 52, Sangwan 2-19) by six wickets

Patidar overshadows Kohli

After batting first at the toss, du Plessis could not reap the benefits of his decision when he fell in the second over to a Sangwan delivery angling across his bat that took the edge to the wicketkeeper. It brought in Patidar at No. 3 alongside Kohli and together they were watchful in their rebuilding before three boundaries off their bats in the fourth over opened up the run flow.

The 40 degree Celsius temperatures did not deter Kohli and Patidar from operating with ones and twos when the boundaries were tough, and as both grew it confidence, it was clear that Kohli was going to anchor while Patidar had the license to go for his shots. Patidar hammered Rashid for a six, the duo then crunched Lockie Ferguson for a 15-run over, and after Patidar once again went after Joseph, it became a race for which batter would reach fifty first. Kohli would bring up his first IPL half-century in the 13th over, Patidar his maiden IPL fifty in the next.

An innings that fizzled out

At 110 for 1 after 14 overs, it was time for the set batters to start hitting from both ends. Patidar, however, miscued a scoop to give Sangwan a second wicket at the start of the 15th over, and Kohli was out to a slower-ball yorker from Shami in the 17th before Glenn Maxwell could rev his engine up.

At the end of the game, Kohli’s 53-ball 58 at a strike-rate of under 110 could possibly come under the scanner, but he took upon himself the anchor’s role for the early recovery following du Plessis’ wicket. After that, just when he looked to accelerate after his fifty, he fell, making his total contribution of 58 have a value of only 46.02 Smart Runs. By contrast, Patidar’s 52 runs earned him 62.01 smart runs

Miller-Tewatia extinguish RCB’s hopes

The chase of 171 was tricky since the surface was turning and the IPL grounds are now beginning to wear out, making Royal Challengers’ gamut of spinners and change-up bowlers a risky proposition. Saha, the Powerplay attacker, started off in the same fashion as his last outing, allowing Gill to settle in. Gill made only 19 by the seventh over when the Titans had reached 50 for no loss.

Tewatia, the eventual player of the match, was nearly out in his second ball but survived an lbw decision off Siraj after the third umpire overturned it on review. From the other end, Miller did not allow Hasaranga to finish his spell strongly by hitting him for a six and a four. Tewatia then eked out two fours and four leg-byes off Siraj.

With the equation down to 36 off three overs, Hazlewood was brought back on in search of a quiet over, but that was not to be. Tewatia flicked him over fine leg before creaming him through the covers. Miller ended the 18th with a pull for four, and the 17-run over made Titans the favourites in the chase after a long period.