IPL 2023 recap: RCB blew hot and cold
The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) edition is right around the corner. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will meet Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on March 22. Under Faf du Plessis's leadership, RCB will aim to end their trophy drought by going all the way this time around. Notably, RCB blew hot and cold last season. Here we revisit RCB's campaign in IPL 2023.
RCB agonizingly missed out on the playoff berth
With seven wins and as many losses, RCB finished at the sixth place (NRR: +0.135). RCB would have been gutted after missing out on the playoff berth as they featured in the last league game, against Gujarat Titans, and needed a victory by any margin to go through. Though Virat Kohli's 101* helped RCB compile 197/5, GT chased down the target.
Brilliant show from big three
RCB's top-order batters were on a roll last year as their openers du Plessis (730 runs at 56.15) and Kohli (639 runs at 53.25) enjoyed a dream season. They even recorded the joint-most partnership runs by a pair in an IPL season (939 at 67.07). Furthermore, Glenn Maxwell, who majorly batted at number three, compiled 400 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 183.48.
Disappointing show from middle order
RCB often faltered despite a fine start as their middle and lower-order batters could not come to the party. Besides the top three, Mahipal Lomror was RCB's next-highest run-getter with 135 runs at 16.87. Veteran Dinesh Karthik, who aced the finisher's role in IPL 2022, could only manage 140 runs at 11.66. No other batter even touched the 100-run mark.
Siraj was the lone warrior in bowling unit
With 19 wickets at a sensational economy of 7.5, pacer Mohammed Siraj finished as RCB's highest wicket-taker. However, he did not receive the required support as Harshal Patel was RCB's next-highest wicket-taker (14 scalps at an economy of 9.65). Leg-spinner Karn Sharma claimed 10 wickets (ER: 10.37). Wayne Parnell, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Wanindu Hasaranga claimed nine wickets apiece but were expensive.
Key numbers from RCB's campaign
As per ESPNcricinfo, RCB's run rate of 9.25 in the powerplay was the third-best for any team last year. They even boast the second-best economy rate in this phase(7.78). As a team, RCB claimed the most powerplay wickets (33). However, RCB's ER in the last four overs was the third-worst last season (11.43). Their scoring rate in this phase was the second worst (10.11).
