RCB's Perfectly Executed Tactics Caught KKR Off Guard

Tactical review of how RCB defeated KKR in a low-scoring thriller in the 6th match of IPL 2022.

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The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) turned out to be a low-scoring thriller. RCB eventually defeated KKR by three wickets as they chased down the 129-run target with four balls to spare. 

A match in Mumbai meant that the team winning the toss would be happy to bowl first and RCB did exactly that. The role of dew is massive in this region. 

1) RCB Nailing The Bowling Changes 

Faf du Plessis bowled three seamers for two overs each in the powerplay and RCB got three wickets out of them and conceded 44 runs. Akash Deep picked up two wickets and Mohammad Siraj got one. 

In the middle overs, RCB bowled with a spin-pace combo. They never bowled two spin overs consecutively knowing KKR batters are well equipped for spin bowling. 

Wanindu Hasaranga bowled tight lines and got four wickets with the help of pressure created from the other end. KKR batters had to take a chance against Hasaranga which helped in the wrist spinners' cause. 

Shahbaz Ahmed bowled just one over but it was Andre Russell on the crease and he smacked him for 16 runs; Russell vs SLA - 140 SR, 22 Avg. 

Harshal Patel did what he does the best - mixing lengths, lines, and variations. His first two overs were maidens and he also got one wicket each in both the overs. 

2) Umesh Yadav The Powerplay Bowler 

KKR had to attack right from the beginning after getting bowled out for 128. Umesh Yadav, like in the previous game vs CSK, got the new ball and took two wickets in his first two overs. He got help from another new ball specialist Tim Southee. RCB were 3/17 in 2.1 overs. 

3) RCB's Use Of Floaters & Nailing DK's Entry Point 

Despite having a horror start, RCB didn't go for the experience, rather got David Willey and Sherfane Rutherford to bat in that situation. Knowing the target was low, the duo batted slowly to bring RCB into the game. 

Willey got out in the 11th over but RCB still didn't send Dinesh Karthik in. Shahbaz Ahmed was promoted and his inning changed the momentum again. Not sending in DK meant KKR had to break Varun Chakaravarthy & Sunil Narine's bowling partnership. 

Shahbaz had the license to kill knowing RCB had Dinesh Karthik, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Harshal Patel still to come. Ahmed smacked three sixes during 27 off 20 balls. On the other end, Rutherford was keeping one end intact. 

Ahmed got out at the end of the 16th over and DK walked in. Sunil Narine was immediately brought back into the attack. However, Karthik played him smartly and didn't attack him. 

Because of keeping Varun and Narine's one over each for Karthik, KKR had to bowl Umesh's over early and even Southee's one in the middle. 

Narine's 17th over only conceded 4 runs which meant RCB still needed 24 in the final three overs. Rutherford decided to attack but got out. Southee, in the same over, got Hasaranga out that again made things tight but finisher Karthik was still there and had to face pace - his favorite matchup. 

KKR had to bowl Venkatesh Iyer in the 19th over since no other bowler was left and Harshal Patel showed his value with the bat to score two boundaries off him. Dinesh Karthik finished things off in the final over vs Russell to get RCB home.