IPL 2022, Eliminator: Bangalore beat Lucknow by 14 runs, to meet Rajasthan in Qualifier 2

Kolkata, May 25, 2022

Rajat Patidar produced a knock for the ages, slamming a 49-ball century, and Josh Hazlewood picked three wickets to power Royal Challengers Bangalore to Qualifier 2 of IPL 2022, defeating Lucknow Super Giants by 14 runs in the Eliminator at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.

After rain delayed proceedings by an hour and ten minutes, Patidar slammed 12 boundaries and seven sixes to score an unbeaten 112 off just 54 balls, taking Lucknow's bowling attack to the cleaners. Patidar was brutal in the last five overs, which brought a whopping 84 runs, with Dinesh Karthik providing the finishing fireworks in an unconquered 37 as Bangalore posted a mammoth 207/4.

In reply, Lucknow were kept in the hunt, thanks to a 96-run stand between skipper K L Rahul (79 off 58 balls) and Deepak Hooda (45 off 26 balls). But with Hazlewood making three strikes and Harshal Patel conceding just 1/25 in his four overs, apart from a superb fielding display, Lucknow could make only 193/6.

The win means that Bangalore will face Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad on Friday.

Quinton de Kock opened the innings for RCB with a nonchalant flick for six off Mohammed Siraj. But on the very next ball, Siraj had the last laugh as de Kock mistimed a loft to mid-on. Manan Vohra survived a stumping chance and hit Hazlewood for consecutive boundaries, but the pacer rushed the right-hander on the pull and diving midwicket caught the catch.

Rahul opened up by taking two sixes and a boundary off Siraj in the final over of power-play. With Deepak Hooda playing some shots and fetching boundaries, Lucknow were kept in the hunt. But Bangalore succeeded in containing the run-flow and with some sharp fielding, especially from Wanindu Hasaranga on the third ball of tenth over, they were able to have a good grip on the proceedings.

With 99 needed off the last seven overs, Rahul cleared his front leg to smack Hazlewood for six over deep midwicket to bring up his half-century in 43 balls. Hooda also hit Hazlewood for a six over long-on before clubbing Hasaranga for a brace of sixes over the same region. But the leg-spinner had the last laugh, going past Hooda's attempted slog-sweep to rattle the stumps.

Marcus Stoinis ended the over by slog-sweeping Hasaranga over wide long-on for the third six of the over. In the leg-spinner's next over, Rahul shuffled across to slog-sweep Hasaranga for a six over fine leg followed by another sweep for a boundary through the same region.

The budding 36-run stand off 17 balls between Rahul and Stoinis ended when the latter was caught by Patidar at deep cover off Harshal. Bangalore pulled things back as Patel conceded just eight runs despite leaking six runs in extras.

Hazlewood produced the telling blows in the 19th over when Rahul moved across to scoop, only to be caught by a leaping fine leg. He followed it up by catching Krunal Pandya for a golden duck off his own bowling, enough to seal the match in Bangalore's favour.

Earlier, Patidar, who was not even picked at the auction originally and came in as an injury replacement for Luvinth Sisodia, played every role in the book. He came in when the ball was new, waited for some time and then unleashed an onslaught irrespective of pace or spin to enthrall a capacity crowd at Eden Gardens, who will be remembering his knock for a long time to come.

Mohsin Khan provided the early breakthrough for Lucknow, sending back Faf du Plessis for a golden duck with a lovely delivery that nips away off the seam, luring the right-hander to nick one behind to keeper Quinton de Kock.

With Virat Kohli bringing out an impeccable flick and an uppish drive, Patidar got going with an upper cut over point off Avesh Khan and then hammered a harmless short ball with a pull over midwicket for back-to-back boundaries. Krunal Pandya came under thrashing from Patidar in final over of power-play, hitting three boundaries and a six to take 20 runs off the over and bring up Bangalore's fifty.

Though Patidar's fast and furious start gave Kohli some time to accelerate, it didn't happen as Kohli looked to play an upper cut off Avesh but found third man, bringing the 66-run stand to a close. Patidar continued to be on a roll, bringing his fifty in 28 balls. But he was losing support from other end as Glenn Maxwell toe-ended a pull to long leg and Mahipal Lomror slapped straight to cover after hitting two boundaries.

Bangalore benefitted from reprieves given by Lucknow, starting from Rahul dropping Karthik at four and then dropping Patidar at 72. That set the tone for Patidar to unleash a carnage on Ravi Bishnoi, whacking three sixes and two boundaries from wide long-off to deep mid-wicket.

With Karthik taking three boundaries off Avesh, Patidar was again dropped on 93 and on the very next ball, pulled over deep mid-wicket for six to bring up a sensational century in 49 balls.

The duo smacked 21 and 13 runs off the last two overs to help Bangalore cross 200-mark.

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 207/4 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 112 not out, Dinesh Karthik 37 not out; Mohsin Khan 1/25, Krunal Pandya 1/39) beat Lucknow Super Giants (KL Rahul 79, Deepak Hooda 45; Josh Hazlewood 3/43, Harshal Patel 1/16)

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