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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) director of cricket Mike Hesson credited the team for stretching the match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to the last ball at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, April 10. The KL Rahul-led side emerged as winners by one wicket to hand RCB their second successive defeat in IPL 2023.
The game seemed to be slipping away from RCB's grasp after Nicholas Pooran's stunning knock. The Caribbean wicketkeeper-batter's 62 off 19 deliveries reduced the equation to just 28 runs off 24 deliveries.
However, the home side bounced back beginning with Mohammed Siraj's final over which resulted in Pooran's wicket and only four runs.
They brought the game to an even keel after taking the wickets of Ayush Badoni and Jaydev Unadkat. However, they could not get the better of Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi as they led LSG to a win off the final ball of the contest with a bye.
Focusing on the positives from the contest, Hesson said on RCB Game Day Review:
"I think our batting was exceptional, a really polished performance with the bat with plenty of skill and spark as well, so that was pretty exciting. With the ball in the powerplay yet again, three times in a row we have been exceptional there."
Hesson continued:
"In the death, we scrambled incredibly hard from a point where we were never entitled to get close. Obviously, in the middle overs, we got hit in some areas we did not want to get hit."
RCB lost control of the contest in the middle overs after having reduced LSG to 23-3 midway through the powerplay. The home side failed to contain Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran, leading to the heartbreaking loss.
"That is something we will really have to think about" - Sanjay Bangar on the performance of RCB spinners
The bowlers did not have a particularly memorable outing in the high-scoring affair at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The spinners were largely ineffective, especially in the second innings.
Karn Sharma came in as an impact player and conceded 48 runs off his three overs. Shahbaz Ahmed also conceded 15 runs in his solitary over.
Praising the batting unit and pacers for their performance, RCB head coach Sanjay Bangar said:
"Virat and Faf have been batting really well, it was important that Maxi came and struck the ball the way he did. That was a big plus and from a bowling perspective, I believe that all fast bowlers bowled exceptionally well. Spinners were a bit off-color today, but that is something we will really have to think about."
Faf du Plessis and Co. are next scheduled to take on the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, April 15.
