IPL 2022, Qualifier 2, RR v RCB as it happened: RR reach final, fourth ton of the season for Buttler

Brief scores:

RCB: 157 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 58; Prasidh Krishna 3/22, Obed McCoy 3/23).

RR: 161 for 3 in 18.1 overs (Jos Buttler 106 not out; Josh Hazlewood 2/23).

11.20 pm: A look at the winning moments.

Most runs of the season: Jos Buttler crosses 800 runs!

IPL 2022 FINAL – Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals: A team in the final in their first season vs a team in the final for the first time since the first ever season.

RR: 161/3 after 18.1 overs: RAJASTHAN ROYALS ARE INTO THE FINAL! Jos Buttler finishes it off in style.

CENTURY! JOS BUTTLER, FOLKS! He started the season fire, went off the boil for a bit, but has now played a huge knock to take his side into the final. 100 off 59 balls, joins Kohli in making four centuries for the season.

After 17 overs, RR 148/3: RCB finishes with 4-0-23-2. Did his part to an extent but perhaps wasn’t used as well as he should have been. Buttler closes in on another century, on 95 now.

WICKET! 16.5: Devdutt Padikkal 9(12) ct Dinesh Karthik b Josh Hazlewood Padikkal was playing give-the-strike-back-to-Jos for a while but is dismissed trying to play a upper cut. RR 148/3

After 16 overs, RR 140/2: Well, the quiet overs just felt like delaying the inevitable and here we are. Two sixes in the Hasaranga over Buttler and he crosses 800 runs for the season.

After 15 overs, RR 126/2: Another quiet over, this one by Harshal. At least Swiggy will be happy that the run-chase has lasted this long, we suppose.

After 14 overs, RR 122/2: Five runs off Maxwell’s over but absolutely still in RR’s control this match. 36 off 36 balls is far too easy an equation.

After 13 overs, RR 117/2: No reason to take any risks against Hazlewood.

After 12 overs, RR 114/2: Two runs and a wicket in that Hasaranga over but too little too late for RCB.

WICKET! 11.4: Sanju Samson 23(21) st Dinesh Karthik b Wanindu Hasaranga Samson’s unable to break out of the Hasaranga jinx after all. Sixth time out in seven innings as per ESPNCricinfo. RR 113/2

After 11 overs, RR 112/1: The looks after DK’s drop were indicative of where the match is. RCB pretty much out of it. A huge six for Samson in that Harshal over.

DK drops a sitter, Buttler gets a life. Not like it is making much of a difference here.

After 10 overs, RR 103/1: A lovely late cut for four off Hasaranga for Samson.

After 9 overs, RR 97/1: A six for Samson and then two fours for Buttler. If this was a boxing match, it would be over already for RCB.

70 off 70 needed after a superb straight six for Sanju off Shahbaz.

So much for the Karn Sharma factor.

After 8 overs, RR 81/1: Hasaranga starts with a 4-run over but this feels like damage control at this point. Time for a timeout.

After 7 overs, RR 77/1: When Harshal comes in and concedes 10 runs in his first over, you have to worry for RCB. This could well be over as a contest already.

HALF CENTURY FOR JOS BUTTLER: Five 50s to go with his three 100s for Buttler this season. 50 off 23 balls. Buttler starting off from where he finished in Kolkata.

Harshal Patel comes in. He can’t just contain today. RCB need Purple Patel.

After 6 overs, RR 67/1: The two best powerplay overs for RCB came from Hazlewood but both times he was bowling after momentum got away from his side. Strange from RCB, sensational from RR.

WICKET! 5.1: Yashasvi Jaiswal 21(13) ct Virat Kohli b Josh Hazlewood Bring back your best powerplay bet and get a wicket, who knew. RCB have employed strange tactics here but at least they have a breakthrough here. Sharp catch by Kohli. RR 61/1

After 5 overs, RR 61/0: WOW, that is some start by RR! Buttler has started like he finished in Kolkata. 6-0-6-4 off Shahbaz Ahmed. It will take some comeback for RCB to win from here.

After 4 overs, RR 42/0: Score correction

After 4 overs, RR 42/0: Maxwell with a quiet over. Buttler mishit a skier but it evades Siraj running back from mid-off.

After 3 overs, RR 37/0: Wow, 4-4-6 for Buttler and Siraj has had a nightmare start here. 2-0-31-0 for him. One of those boundaries was a streaky one but the six was just huge. RR have gone after the Indian pacer.

After 2 overs, RR 22/0: You would imagine the feedback from RR’s bowling group must have been that batting could get harder as innings went on. This is a fast start. A four for Buttler off Hazlewood but the Aussie keeps it as a 6-run over.

After 1 over, RR 16/0: What a start. 6-4-0-6 as Jaiswal goes after Siraj nice and early. Problems for RCB. Should they have started with Hazlewood?

Here we go then, back to cricket. Time for Jaiswal and Buttler to begin the run-chase.

RCB: 157/8 (20 overs): RR should be the happier side here, but McCoy spoke about extra bounce on offer here. RCB need a Hazlewood special and need it early.

After 20 overs, RCB are 157/8: What a finish for the Royals! Prasidh Krishna first and then Obed McCoy have given RR a fine finish with the ball. Doesn’t seem to be the easiest of pitches to bat on for off-pace, hard-lengths... but this is advantage Rajasthan.

Obed McCoy: 4-0-23-3 

Prasidh Krishna: 4-0-22-3 

After 19 overs, RCB are 154/7: A six for Shahbaz but Prasidh finishes his spell fittingly with a dot ball.

WICKET! 18.2: Wanindu Hasaranga 0(1) b Prasidh Krishna Oh what a first ball to a new batter! High pace, precise yorker. Stumps rattled! Seriously good stuff from Prasidh who must have been feeling pretty down after Kolkata. RCB146/7

WICKET! 18.1: Dinesh Karthik 6(7) ct Riyan Parag b Prasidh Krishna No finishing fireworks from DK today and that is going to hurt RCB big time. Change of pace, wide outside offstump, so even though it was in the slot length, it was mishit to long on. RCB 146/6

After 18 overs, RCB are 146/5: Like he did in the death overs in Kolkata, another fine over by McCoy. RCB are struggling here.

WICKET! 17.4: Mahipal Lomror 8(10) ct Ravichandran Ashwin b Obed McCoy That really didn’t work out for Lomror and RCB. A rather tough one for the youngster. Goes for the cut, change of pace makes it hard for him and is caught at short third. RCB 141/5

After 17 overs, RCB are 139/4: A decent last over from Yuzi, just seven off it. But figures of 4-0-45-0 are not what he would have hoped for in a big match, against former employers.

A slip in place for Chahal to DK in the 17th over. Fascinating.

After 16 overs, RCB are 132/4: Ashwin finishes with 4-0-31-1. A crucial wicket at that too.

It’s DK time.

WICKET! 15.3: Rajat Patidar 58(42) ct Jos Buttler b Ravichandran Ashwin Six and out. Ashwin gets a crucial breakthrough as Patidar falls looking to further up the ante. A six, tries to make it back-to-back but Buttler takes a fine catch at long off. RCB 130/4

HALF CENTURY FOR RAJAT PATIDAR: He’s had a life, he’s not been as fluent as he was in Kolkata but with a lovely six down the ground off Chahal he gets to another crucial 50-plus knock in the playoffs for RCB. Take a bow, Patidar. 52 off 40 balls.

WICKET! 13.6: Glenn Maxwell 24(13) ct Obed McCoy b Trent Boult WHAT A CATCH! Stunning from McCoy at deep fine leg, diving forward to take a sharp one and it is a huge wicket for RR. RCB 111/3

After 13 overs, RCB are 107/2: Maxi in the house. This is a nice start from the Big Show at a big stage. First a six down the ground off Ashwin and then a six and four off Chahal. The six was a little too close for comfort but it clears the fielder at deep midwicket. Nice phase for RCB.

After 11 overs, RCB are 81/2: Either Faf gets out early and Kohli struggles for a few overs or Kohli gets out early and Faf struggles for a few overs (albeit less so overall). The top order has simply not clicked as a unit often enough for RCB.

WICKET! 10.4: Faf Du Plessis 25(27) ct Ravichandran Ashwin b Obed McCoy Luck for Patidar earlier in the over, but not so for Faf later on. An outside edge carries to Ash at short third. RCB 79/2

After 10 overs, RCB are 74/1: Another nice over from Ashwin that one. A loud appeal for LBW, reviewed by RR and it is a lost cause.

After 9 overs, RCB are 69/1: Patidar’s innings has been a bit start-stop so far and maybe that six off Chahal in that over will get him going. Lovely hit over long on. He needed that, RCB needed that.

Chahal vs RCB time.

After 8 overs, RCB are 58/1: Already more control and better rhythm from Ashwin today than in the previous match. RCB dealing in singles at the moment.

After 7 overs, RCB are 52/1: The classic quiet 7th over. Six off McCoy. Time for Ashwin now, he’d love to bounce back from a poor night in Kolkata.

After 6 overs, RCB are 46/1: FOUR, FOUR, DROPPED! Two crunching backfoot strokes from Patidar through the offside for four. Another lofted shot comes and it is put down by Parag at point! Safest of hands, but what a time to drop one!

Rajat Patidar vs Krunal Pandya 6th over of Eliminator was a turning point. Rajat Patidar vs Prasidh Krishna 6th over of Qualifier 2 might well be one too.

The sixth over is when Patidar went up the gears against LSG. Prasidh to bowl this now.

After 5 overs, RCB are 37/1: A couple of fours for Faf as Samson goes to Boult for a third over in the powerplay.

After 4 overs, RCB are 25/1: Simon Doull spoke about how Kohli played a nothing shot to a short ball outside off, and he could have at least gone hard and it could have been an edge for four. Exactly what Patidar did at the start of the over. Then a peach that cuts Patidar into half and beats everyone on the way to four byes.

After 3 overs, RCB are 17/1: Du Plessis gets his first boundary with a slash over cover but that was a terrific over from Boult, five dots in it. The left-arm pacer is getting movement in the air and bowling tight lines and lengths.

After 1.5 overs, RCB are 9/1: WICKET! Kohli is gone! Prasidh Krishna with a superb first over and he gets the big man. The ball nipped nicely and Kohli, as he often does, poked at it and edged it to Samson. A mighty impressive first over from Prasidh, especially after the hat-trick of sixes he conceded to end the first qualifier. Kohli departs for 7 off 8, the new batter is the in-form Rajat Patidar.

After 1 over, RCB are 8/0: Shot! Kohli ends the first over in style! He got to 1 off 4 but ends the over by stepping out to Boult and whipping the ball over square-leg for six. That will give him immense confidence.

7.29 pm: We’re ready for play at the majestic stadium in Ahmedabad! Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis are at the crease. Trent Boult has the new ball in hand. Here we go!

Playing XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (w), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj.

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (w/c), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Obed McCoy, Yuzvendra Chahal.

TOSS:

Sanju Samson has won the toss and Rajasthan Royals will bowl first!

6.45 pm: Hello and welcome to live coverage of Indian Premier League 2022 Qualifier 2 between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad.

Qualifier 1: David Miller hit an unbeaten 68 off 38 balls as Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to reach the IPL final on Tuesday. Chasing 189 for victory in the first qualifier, Gujarat rode an unbeaten 106-run fourth-wicket stand between Pandya (40) and Miller to achieve the target with three balls to spare in Kolkata. Rashid Khan set up the win with figures of 0-15 that kept down Rajasthan to 188-6 despite Jos Buttler’s 56-ball 89.

IPL 2022 Qualifier 1, GT vs RR as it happened: Miller, Pandya power Gujarat to 7-wicket win

Eliminator: Rajat Patidar was the unlikely hero as he hammered a magnificent hundred on Wednesday to help Royal Challengers Bangalore edge out Lucknow Super Giants by 14 runs and move within one win of the Indian Premier League final. Patidar, who was only drafted into the side midway through the tournament as an injury replacement, smashed 112 not out off 54 deliveries in the eliminator match.

IPL 2022 Eliminator, LSG vs RCB as it happened: Patidar, Harshal star as RCB win by 14 runs

Screenshots in the blog courtesy: Disney+Hotstar

Photos: Sportzpics / IPL