The Royal Challengers Bangalore opened their IPL 2022 campaign against the Punjab Kings at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Fans expected a thrilling contest between the two teams, and they got to witness one as PBKS prevailed over RCB in a close encounter. RCB batted first and scored 205 runs on the board. They were the favorites to win, but PBKS chased the target with one over to spare.
Playing his first match for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, new captain Faf du Plessis provided the team a slow start. He took time to settle in the middle, but once he got going, he destroyed the Punjab Kings bowling attack and ended with 88 runs to his name. His batting performance guided RCB to a score of 200+ runs for the loss of two wickets in 20 overs.
In reply, PBKS chased the target in 19 overs, thanks to contributions from Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Odean Smith and Shahrukh Khan. Here’s what RCB captain Faf du Plessis had to say after his team failed to defend:
“The batting was really good from Punjab. Probably the catches towards the end (cost us). We probably dropped him (Odean Smith) on when he was 10 or something. He is a powerful hitter. If we had held on to the chances. Though it’s a cliche, catches win matches. There was some dew out there. Again, it’s about small margins.”
Twitter reacts as RCB fail to defend 205 runs again
Previously, RCB failed to defend this score of runs against Chennai Super Kings twice, and now Punjab Kings chased this target against them. Here’s how Twitter reacted to the coincidence:
In 2012 Faf & Mayank were opening against eachother when RCB scores 205, 10 years later Faf & Mayank are opening against eachother when RCB scores 205. RCB lost both, Faf scores at the s.r of 154.3 in both the occasions & the winning team scored 208/5 in both the occasions.
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) March 27, 2022
205 is a curse to RCB 🤣🤣🤣
— ‘ (@Ashwin_tweetz) March 27, 2022
Same to same 😭😭😭
— RS ChaseMaster King😎🐐 (@RsChasemaster) March 27, 2022
205 is bad luck number for RCB😓😓😓😓😓 pic.twitter.com/qp4FJTA0rA
RCB has lost thrice after making 205
— َ𝗱𝗮𝗻ı_Î_𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽§َ (@DanielSamsDolan) March 27, 2022
vs CSK in 2012 , Chepauk
vs CSK in 2018 , Chinnaswamy
vs KKR in 2019 , Chinnaswamy#IPL2022 | #RCB
Last time when rcb scored 205 💥 pic.twitter.com/15mWH5L038
— MSDian™ (@CricHarsha) March 27, 2022
Today RCB got 205 & PBKS chased it down with 208/5 as a tribute to CSK’s 208/5 against RCB in IPL 2012 💛
— Sivy Kanefied 🇳🇿 (@Sivy62) March 27, 2022
du Plessis hit 7 sixes & Rajapaksa smacked 43: 43+7=50 as a tribute to Kane Williamson’s fantastic 50* vs RCB in IPL 2020 Eliminator 🧡
IPL is fantastic pic.twitter.com/EtbDmmtqey
205 and RCB. Better Love story than Twilight? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/hVv9N5d7kc
— RCT (@chessearentboi) March 27, 2022
RCB scored 205 runs and still didn’t win
— Rajeev Hitman 🇮🇳 (@Hmka_join_krlo) March 27, 2022
Meanwhile RCB fans : pic.twitter.com/XBpERknURR
#RCBvPBKS #IPL2022
— Valdimiputin (@valdimiputin) March 27, 2022
When RCB score 205 run but not win the match
RCB fans : pic.twitter.com/cHEr2IFLrP
RCB should stop setting a target of 206. Never really works in their favour. pic.twitter.com/4GYKa2JfHi
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) March 27, 2022
