The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were back to winning ways in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 after registering a victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 13 runs on Wednesday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Harshal Patel’s three crucial wickets helped RCB successfully defend the score after Mahipal Lomror’s quick-fire 42(27) piloted the side to 173/8 in the first innings. 

Chasing 174, CSK openers – Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway started cautiously and CSK were 25-0 after 4 overs. 

Both Conway and Gaikwad were on the move with 3 fours and two sixes as the fifty partnership was up for the opening wicket. CSK were 51-0 after 6 overs. 

Shahbaz Ahmed put an end to the dangerous partnership after Gaikwad was caught by Prabhudessai. CSK were 2 down after Glenn Maxwell dismissed Robin Uthappa in the next over. 

Maxwell then cleaned up the stumps of Ambati Rayudu to scalp his second wicket. Conway carried his form from the previous game and reached his half-century after adding a six and a four. 

Wanindu Hasaranga claimed the crucial wicket of Conway, who was caught at deep backward square in the 15^th over and CSK were 118/4 with five overs to go. 

Harshal Patel got into the act with the vital wicket of Jadeja after Virat Kohli successfully grabbed a skier in the 16^th over.

The equation was down to 47 off 18 for CSK. Moeen Ali hammered the first ball for six but was caught on the next delivery as Harshal bounced back with his second wicket. 

Josh Hazlewood picked the vital wicket of MS Dhoni after the CSK skipper was caught at deep mid-wicket in the penultimate over.

CSK required 31 off 6. Dwaine Pretorius launched a six on the first ball but failed to clear the ropes on the next delivery as Harshal claimed his third wicket of the innings. Theekshana smacked a six and a four each but RCB finished with a 13-run victory.

Earlier, RCB, who were put in to bat first, remained unchanged from their previous game. RCB openers – Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis were off to a solid start and RCB were 33-0 after 4 overs.

Kohli thumped the first six of the innings in the third over before adding two fours at the top. RCB were 57-0 at the end of the powerplay after du Plessis smacked his first six over long-on. 

Moeen Ali was introduced into the attack in the 8^th over and the spinner provided CSK their first breakthrough after du Plessis holed out to the deep. 

Glenn Maxwell was the next batter to be dismissed after the all-rounder was run-out in the 9^th over. Moeen Ali cleaned up Virat Kohli’s stumps to claim his second wicket of the innings as RCB were 79-3 at the halfway mark. 

Rajat Patidar and Mahipal Lomror helped RCB regain the momentum with a crucial partnership of 44. Both Patidar and Lomror added a four and six each.

RCB were 123/3 at the end of 15 overs before Dwaine Pretorius broke the partnership to dismiss Patidar, thanks to a fine running catch by Mukesh Choudhary. 

Lomror kept the fours coming and was joined by Dinesh Karthik at the other end. Maheesh Theekshana claimed three wickets in the penultimate over including the key wicket of Lomror. 

Karthik hammered 2 sixes in the final over to help RCB reach 173/8 in the first innings.

Brief Scores:  Royal Challengers Bangalore 173/8 (Mahipal Lomror 42, Faf du Plessis 38; Maheesh Theekshana 3-27) beat Chennai Super Kings 160/8 (Devon Conway 56, Moeen Ali 34; Harshal Patel 3-35) by 13 runs.