Kohli, Hazlewood fire RCB to first home win after RR romp

Josh Hazlewood picked a mesmerizing 4-33 as he inspired Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to win their first home game in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by II runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.

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After half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, along with cameos from Tim David and Jitesh Sharma propelled RCB to 205/5, their highest score at home this season, RR’s batters came out all guns blazing to put them in control of the chase. Despite the spinners applying the brakes, RR needed just 18 runs off the last two overs to break their four-match losing streak.

But Hazlewood bowled a penultimate over to remember, conceding just one run while taking two wickets to seal a victory for RCB and leaving their jubilant home crowd in celebration mode. RR, meanwhile, botched up another chase which they should have won for the third consecutive time and another implosion in Bengaluru has left their playoffs hopes hanging by a slim thread.

Yashasvi Jaiswal got going from the word go by pulling Bhuvneshwar Kumar for six, before hitting two fours, including off a leading edge and a six over deep mid-wicket in an 18-run second over off Yash Dayal. After Vaibhav Suryavanshi hoicked Bhuvneshwar for six, Jaiswal ducked, slashed, and missed on the first three balls off Hazlewood.