Mumbai: Josh Hazlewood claimed 3/28 to lead a clinical bowling performance as Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Delhi Capitals by 16 runs in Match 27 of IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.
Hazlewood got good support from Mohammed Siraj (2/31) and Wanindu Hasaranga who removed the dangerous David Warner (66) as Delhi Capitals fell short in their chase of 189/5 build on attacking half-centuries by Dinesh Karthik (66 not out) and Glenn Maxwell (55).
Skipper Rishabh Pant (34 off 17 balls) tried to rally the middle and lower order but none of them stayed long enough to support him as Capitals ended with 173/7 in 20 overs to lose by 16 runs.
David Warner had raised hopes of Delhi Capitals, successfully chasing the target of 190 as he struck his 52nd half-century in Indian Premier League. He and Prithvi Shaw had given the innings a blazing start, raising 50 runs in the fifth over before the Mumbai batter got out, caught by Anuj Rawat off Siraj, mistiming an attempted slog on leg-side.
Warner continued in same fashion, hitting some brilliant shots all around the ground. He completed his fifty off 30 deliveries and was looking good for a big one when he was trapped lbw by Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and Delhi Capitals slumped to 94/2 in 12th over.
Pant tried to continue the good work, hitting 34 off 17 deliveries with three fours and two sixes. But Rovman Powell, Lalit Yadav and Mitchell Marsh failed to contribute much as Delhi Capitals lost their way. With 45 needed off the last three overs, it was too much for the likes of Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav to pull off.
Earlier Karthik launched a ferocious counter-attack and shared a 97-run partnership with Shahbaz Ahmed (32 not out off 21 balls) for the unfinished sixth wicket partnership after Maxwell had rescued RCB from a precarious 40/3 after they were asked to bat first by Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant. Karthik blasted an unbeaten 66 off 34 balls (4x5, 6x5), reminding of a similar counter-attacking innings by the Tamil Nadu batter 10 days back that helped his team beat Rajasthan Royals at the same Wankhede Stadium. The last three overs on Saturday produced 69 runs for RCB that gave their total a lot of respectability.
Maxwell had laid the foundation for the counter-attack by Karthik and Shahbaz with a 34-ball 55 that rescued RCB from a precarious position after they lost Virat Kohli to a brilliant throw by Lalit Yadav.
Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 189/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 55, Dinesh Karthik 66 not out, Shahbaz Ahmed 32 not out; Shardul Thakur 1/27) beat Delhi Capitals 173/7 in 20 overs (David Warner 66, Rishabh Pant 34; Josh Hazlewood 3/28, Mohammed Siraj 2/31). Earlier attacking half-centuries by seasoned batters Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) post a challenging 189/5 in 20 overs.
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