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IPL 2023 Live Report - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals, Bengaluru
By Alagappan MuthuRCB win
Royal Challengers spent a large part of this game under the pump. Frustratingly, every time they thought they got ahead, like when Virat Kohli reached a 33-ball fifty, or when Glenn Maxwell was pummelling the spinners on a spin-friendly pitch, a wicket would fall to douse the momentum. Winning a game like this – a game where their crowd spent the first innings largely silent – will do wonders for their campaign because they clawed their way back. And because their star turns came with the ball.
Mohammed Siraj (4-0-23-2) was phenomenal in conditions that should have cancelled him. Their debutant Vijaykumar Vyshak was the most successful bowler on the night, with three wickets including that of an IPL legend David Warner. Their fielding was electric, a direct hit run-out from Anuj Rawat setting the tone for the fightback. The only Capitals batters who managed to resist was Manish Pandey (50 off 38) and Axar Patel (21 off 14).
Towards the end of the game, it became clear that the pitch had got better for batting under lights. This is the reason why Capitals, having won the toss, chose to bowl in the first place. But their calamitous start to a chase of 174 - 2 for 3 in three overs and then 30 for 4 with Warner dismissed - just didn’t allow them to take advantage.