IPL 2022: Faf du Plessis rescues RCB, but misses ton by four runs

Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis en route his 96 v Lucknow Super Giants at the DY Patil Stadium yesterday. Pic/PTI

Faf du Plessis played a captain's knock of 96 to rescue Royal Challengers from a poor start and guide them to a challenging total of 181 for six against Lucknow Super Giants at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday.

At the time of going to press, LSG were 44-2 after six overs.

Du Plessis opened the innings and was at the crease till the penultimate ball as he rallied RCB from a shock start of 7-2 in the first over with a well-paced innings lasting 64 balls in which he struck two sixes and 11 fours. The South African also featured in partnerships of 37 with Glenn Maxwell (23) first to steady the rocking boat, then consolidated the innings by adding 70 for the fifth wicket in 48 balls with Shahbaz Ahmed (26) and then put on 49 runs in 27 balls with Dinesh Karthik (13 not out).

It was the highest score of the season for Du Plessis, who made 88 in the opening game against Punjab Kings here on March 27.

Super Giants bowlers started extremely well before yielding space to Du Plessis's measured stroke-play. Leggie Ravi Bishnoi (0-47) was dealt with severely, especially by Du Plessis, who hit him for a straight six to jump from 43 to 49.

RCB got off to a shock start. They lost opener Anuj Rawat to the fifth ball and then were stunned when Virat Kohli got out for a golden duck to the last ball from Sri Lankan speedster Dushmantha Chameera.

Rawat was caught brilliantly by a forward diving KL Rahul, the bowling side skipper, at mid-off and then Kohli departed by guiding the first ball he faced to backward point fielder Deepak Hooda, to leave the crowd into shocked silence.

Maxwell made 23 in quick time, striking Chameera for a four and a six in the third over that yielded 19 runs, before he fell to a brilliant leaping catch by Jason Holder when reverse sweeping Krunal Pandya.