IPL 2023: Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Siraj power RCB to 24-run win over PBKS

Mohali (Punjab) [India], April 20 (ANI): Mohammed Siraj's four-wicket haul powered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a 24-run win against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium on Thursday.
Superb bowling helped RCB bundle out Punjab Kings for 150 in 18.2 overs to register a fine win in Mohali.
For RCB, Siraj bagged a four-wicket haul and Wanindu Hasaranga claimed two while Harshal Patel and Wayne Parnell scalped one wicket each. For PBKS Prabhsimran Singh scored the highest with 46 off 30 while Jitesh Sharma scored 41 in 27 deliveries.
Defending a decent total of 175, RCB got off to a fiery start as their bowlers dismantled PBKS' top order, bagging four wickets in the powerplay. Mohammed Siraj got the early breakthrough as he dismissed Atharva Taide, while Wanindu Hasaranga cleaned up Matt Short in the third over. In the 4th over of the game, Siraj then dismissed Liam Livingstone for 2.
At the end of the powerplay, Punjab lost their top order with a total of 49/4. Punjab stand-in captain Sam Curran and Prabhsimran Singh then held the fort from the front for their team as they kept piling singles and boundaries at regular intervals. Prabhsimran single-handily slammed Hasaranga for 14 runs in the 9th over of the game, with the help of two mighty sixes.
After scoring 10 runs Curran was run out by Hasaranga in the 10th over of the game. In the 12th over of the game, Wayne Parnell entered the wicket-taking party as he cleared up well-set batter Prabhsimran for 46. The right-handed batter Shahrukh Khan came out to bat and slammed a six off Parnell's delivery.
However, Shahrukh's stay at the crease was cut short as Hasaranga's stunning googly dismissed him after scoring 7. In the 15th over, Jitesh Sharma opened his hands and slammed Hasaranga for 11 runs, slamming stunning maximum straight down the ground.
In the 16th over of the game, Jitesh smoked Vijaykumar Vyshak for 13 runs with the help of one four and one 83-metre maximum that he slammed back over the bowler's head.
RCB had a great chance to dismiss dangerous batter Jitesh, however, they miss a chance as Kohli at long-on dropped the catch. It did not take long for RCB bowlers to produce another chance as Siraj removed Harpreet Brar for 13 runs in the 18th over. Siraj then in the same over produced a stunning delivery to dismiss new batter Nathan Ellis for 1.
In the penultimate over, Harshal Patel dismissed Jitesh Sharma and bundled out PBKS for 150 to register a 24-run win.
Earlier, the 137-run opening stand between Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis powered RCB to a decent score of 174/4 against PBKS.
RCB got off to a great start, racking up 137 runs without losing any wickets. However, after the 17th over, they lost two big wickets -- of Virat and the dasher Glenn Maxwell -- in quick succession. RCB lost momentum thereafter and wasn't able to lift the scoring rate in the tail-end of their innings.
For Punjab Kings, left-armer Harpreet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, snapping up two wickets for 31 runs while pacers Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis took one apiece. However, Sam Curran and Rahul Chahal brought Punjab back into the game, bowling tight lines and lengths and not giving easy runs to RCB.
Put into bat, RCB introduced their impact player at the start in the form of regular skipper Faf du Plessis, partnering with stand-in skipper Kohli. Both batters gave a solid start to their team, putting together a 50-run partnership in 5.1 overs. Virat's 29 in 19 balls was studded with 4 fours and Faf's 27 runs off 17 comprised two fours and two hits over the fence. Their rollicking stand took RCB to 59/0 in the powerplay.
Faf continued his red-hot form, bringing up his fourth fifty of this season off 31 balls, consisting of 4 fours and three sixes. RCB raced to the 100-run mark in 11.4 overs without losing any wickets.
Punjab tried to slow the RCB innings thereafter, with Sam Curran and Rahul Chahar conceding just five runs each in the 13th and 14th respectively.
Virat's half-century came a little late, in the 15th over. He scored his fifty at less than a run a ball. PBKS missed out on a chance to send Kohli back to the dugout in the 16th over, with his personal score at 59 off 47 balls. However, wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma dropped a regulation edge off seamer Curran.
However, Punjab did see the back of Kohli soon after as Hardeep Brar got Virat to edge one to Jitesh and he snapped up a brilliant catch. Harpreet took the wicket of Glenn Maxwell off the next ball, giving Punjab another crucial breakthrough.
Punjab dealt another big blow to Bangalore, taking the prized wicket of Faf at 84 off just 56 balls. Nathan Ellis took his wicket, having him caught at long off.
Keeper Dinesh Karthik was dismissed cheaply again, at 7 runs of 5 balls, by Arshdeep Singh in the 19th over.
Brief Score: Royal Challengers Bangalore 174/4 (Faf du Plessis 84, Virat Kohli 59, Harpreet Singh 2-31) vs Punjab Kings 150 (Prabhsimran Singh 46, Jitesh Sharma 41; Mohammed Siraj 4-21). (ANI)