It was a match to forget for the IPL 2022's runners-up Rajasthan Royals (RR) who suffered a nightmarish 112-run defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday (May 14).
Batting first RCB posted a competitive total of 171/5. In reply, Sanju Samson's RR suffered a dramatic batting collapse and were skittled out for a humiliating total of 59, which was the third lowest innings total in the history of IPL. Five of the RR batters returned to pavilion without opening their account. The capitulation of RR also meant, the sword of elimination is hangling right above their head as they have 12 points in 13 matches. Meanwhile, RCB also have 12 points but they have two more matches left to boost their chances of qualifying to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, RR captain Samson, who scored just 4 off 5 balls, rued his team's humiliating defeat and was in disbelief when asked about what happened in the match.
In the post match presentation Samson said that he has no answer for RR's performance.
"That is a great question actually. I was thinking about it and where it went wrong. Sorry, I do not have an answer for that. We all know the nature of the IPL. We know things can change in a couple of days. Funny, funny things happen at the end of the league stages. We have to be strong, be professional and think about the game we are playing in Dharamsala. You have to keep your hopes high and try your best," Samson said.
While batting first, Faf du Plessis notched sixth fifty in the IPL 2023 as he cracked an impressive 55 off 44. Later Glenn Maxwell too joined the party and scored 54 off 33 riding on five fours and three sixes to help RCB post 171/5. In reply, RR suffered a monumental collapse and had a batting performance to forget as they were folded for just 59 runs. Hetmyer's 19-ball 35 helped RR avoid the humiliation of recording the lowest IPL score ever.
Meanwhile, RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara believes RR's batters threw away their wickets and said that they lost the match in the powerplay itself after of half the side was sent packing by RCB bowlers.
"It was a poor batting performance. We bowled well to keep them under 170, which on this pitch was going to be a good chase," Sangakkara said.
"I think we got a little bit carried away in the powerplay, thinking that we had to score too many runs there and try to be ultra positive," he said at the post-match press conference.
"It was a case of trying to build partnerships but unfortunately we were five down coming out of the powerplay that was probably the end of the game," the Sri Lankan legend added.
The RR batters were guilty of going for big shots instead of trying to settle in.
"They didn't really get us out but we got ourselves out, it was pretty obvious to see. So, it was not about one individual it's about the whole batting unit and we weren't good enough today," Sangakkara concluded.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
‘Capitulation of outrageous proportions’: Australian legend after RCB skittled out RR for paltry 59 runs
Rajasthan Royals left stunned by RCB bowlers, bowled out for third-lowest ever IPL score to close in on elimination
