IPL 2022: Another Late Charge by Dinesh Karthik Helps Bangalore Trump Rajasthan

IPL 2022: Rajasthan Royals have been handed their first defeat of the season.

Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore shake hands after Match 13 of IPL 2022.

(Photo: BCCI)

• IPL 2022: Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Rajasthan Royals by 4 wickets in March 13 on Tuesday night.

• Rajasthan Royals: 169/3 (Jos Buttler 70*, Devdutt Padikkal 37, Shimron Hetmyer 42*; Harshal Patel 1/18, David Willey 1/29)

• Royal Challengers Bangalore 173/6 in 19.1 overs (Dinesh Karthik 44*, Shahbaz Ahmed b Boult 45, Faf du Plessis 29; Yuzvendra Chahal 2/15, Trent Boult 2/34)

A crucial 67-run partnership between Dinesh Karthik and Shahbaz Ahmed helped Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Rajasthan Royals by four wickets in Match 13 of the IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

Rajasthan, who had won their first two matches this season, were put into bat by Faf du Plessis after he won the toss.

Yashasvi Jaiswal fell very early, out in the second over to David Willey. Devdutt Padikkal smashed 37 off 29 before a late charge from Jos Buttler and Shimron Hetmyer saw 83 runs added for the fourth wicket as RR posted 169/3.

In reply, Karthik (44 not out off 23) and Shahbaz Ahmed (45 off 26) came together after RCB were reduced to 87/5 in the 13th over. Their partnership got the team to 154/6 before Ahmed lost his wicket to Trent Bout in the 18th over. However, they had done enough to get the team their second win of the season.

IPL 2022: Jos Buttler remained unbeaten on 70.

(Photo: BCCI)

Earlier, Jos Buttler produced another example of power-hitting as he struck a superb unbeaten 70 to lift Rajasthan Royals to 169/3.

Buttler, who scored a century against Mumbai Indians in their previous match, blasted four sixes in the last two overs of the innings as he remained unbeaten on 70 runs (42 balls, 6x6).

He stitched two vital partnerships -- an 83-run unfinished stand with Shimron Hetmyer (42 not out - 31 balls,4x4, 6x2) for the fourth wicket and a 70-run partnership 0ff 49 deliveries with Devdutt Padikkal (37 - 29 balls, 4x2, 6x2) -- which helped Rajasthan Royals set up RCB a target of 170 to chase.

Rajasthan got off to a poor start as Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second over, bowled while driving away from his body as he played for swing.

Buttler found a good ally in Karnataka opener Padikkal as they raised 70 runs for the second wicket to revive the innings. Buttler, who batted a bit slower than he did while hitting a century during his century against Mumbai Indians, got going in the last five overs as Rajasthan Royals added 66 runs in the last five overs.

Buttler completed his fifty off 42 deliveries but slammed four of his six hits over the fence in the last two overs -- sixes off the final two deliveries of Mohammed Siraj's fourth and final over, which was the 19th over the Royals' innings and then two more sixes off successive balls off the 20th over bowled by Akash Deep. He enjoyed a life when David Willey dropped him off Akash Deep when he was at 11. RCB ended up paying a heavy price for that lapse.

Jos Buttler of Rajasthan Royals celebrating his half century against RCB.

(Photo: BCCI)

Padikkal, who came in at one drop, made the most of his opportunity as he helped Buttler revive the innings. He was dropped by Siraj off Willey -- and the ball rolled into the boundary rope, rubbed salt into the wound as he launched him over long-on, the over costing RCB 14 runs.

He was caught by Virat Kohli off Harshal Patel, mishitting a slower delivery. Kohli backpedals from mid-on and catches with reverse cup, stumbling down.

Hetmyer played a good foil to Buttler as they went on repairing the Royals innings once again, raising some quick runs in the last five overs as Rajasthan reached a modest total.