IPL 2023: Harshal Patel lives up to Bangalore's expectations

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli was all praise for Harshal Patel after the pace bowler defended 20 off the last six balls as RCB beat first-place Rajasthan Royals by seven runs in another last-over thriller in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

Glenn Maxwell smacked 77 off 44 balls, including four sixes and six fours, to take Bangalore to 189-9 after being asked to bat first. In reply, Devdutt Padikkal’s half-century wasn't enough as Rajasthan finished at 182-6 to lose its second straight game.

"He (Harshal) always bowls the tough overs, not easy at Chinnaswamy. He's closed out games against DC and today as well. So massive credit to the way he has performed," Kohli said.

"We trust him to deliver at the death. Whenever Hazlewood comes in, we might look like a different attack."

But it was a dreadful start for the capacity home crowd as Kohli fell for a golden duck off the very first ball, trapped lbw by Trent Boult for his 100th IPL wicket.

Bangalore was down to 12-2 before Maxwell and Faf du Plessis came to the rescue with a 127-run partnership off 11 overs.

Despite losing early wickets, Maxwell played fearless cricket to score 50 off 27 balls.

At the other end, Du Plessis hit two sixes and eight fours. He reached 50 off 31 balls as the duo revived Bangalore’s innings.

Du Plessis was run out for 62 off 39 balls, and Maxwell departed shortly afterward to leave Bangalore at 156-4.

Rajasthan then crept back into the game, allowing only 35 runs to be scored in the final five overs as Bangalore’s batting issues crept up again. Dinesh Karthik had yet another disappointing outing, scoring only 16 off 13 balls.

Mohammed Siraj got Bangalore's bowlers off to a great start. He bowled Jos Buttler through the gate for a two-ball duck.

Padikkal, coming in at No. 3, and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal added 98 off 66 balls for the second wicket .

Padikkal scored 52 off 34, including seven fours and a six, against his former IPL team. Jaiswal hit five fours and two sixes as Rajasthan’s chase appeared to be sailing smoothly.

David Willey then broke through, dismissing Padikkal, before Patel got into the act by removing Jaiswal as well. Rajasthan had lost both batters in the space of 12 deliveries and was down to 108-3.

The middle order didn’t pick up the momentum for once, with Sanju Samson out for 22 to Patel again, while big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer was run out for two.

Dhruv Jorel tried to provide the finishing touch with 34 not out off 16, and Bangalore’s slow over rate worked to Rajasthan’s advantage.

With only four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle, Ravichandran Ashwin managed 10 off the first three balls but was then out caught.

Patel (3-32) managed to keep Jorel off strike and bowled midtable Bangalore to its second consecutive win.

Brief scores

Royal Challengers Bangalore beats Rajasthan Royals by seven runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore 189/9 (Glenn Maxwell 77, Faf Du Plessis 62; Trent Boult 2/41)

Rajasthan Royals 182/6 (Devdutt Padikkal 52, Yashasvi Jaiswal 47; Harshal Patel 3-32)

Man-of-the-match: Glenn Maxwell

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