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Match 39 of the IPL 2022 is set to take place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals tonight.
Both RR and RCB are tied on five wins and ten points, while RCB have played one extra match. The teams are meeting for the second time this season with RCB defeating RR by four wickets in their first encounter.
RCB have a balanced side with their batters Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik, Faf du Plessis and Shahbaz Ahmed in sublime form, and bowlers Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga complementing their batsmen.
On the other side, RR have only Jos Buttler in steaming-hot fform,with Shimron Hetmyer playing a couple of consistent knocks, but lack support from other batters. However, their bowlers have all been on the same page with Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Ashwin holding the torch.
Ravi Ashwin has had an incredible IPL career since his debut back in 2009. The right arm-off breaker has picked up 149 scalps in 174 games at an economy of 6.95. Moreover, he needs just one wicket to collect 150 IPL wickets and become the second off-spinner to reach the milestone, after Harbhajan Singh.
Having started with CSK, Ashwin has gone on to be a part of many different franchises but has bowled some of his best spells against the Royal Challengers. On that note, let's take a look at three of his best spells against RCB in the history of the tournament.
#1 3/16 - CSK vs RCB in IPL 2011 Final
In the IPL 2011 final, history was created when RCB faced CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. CSK won the toss and elected to bat first. It seemed like a brilliant decision as openers Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay put up a 159-run stand in almost 15 overs.
While Hussey was dismissed, Vijay kept pushing forward and went on to score 95 (52) balls, steering CSK to a total of 205/5. RCB opened with Chris Gayle for whom no target was unachievable. And to top that, CSK skipper MS Dhoni decided to open the bowling with spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
However, that gamble paid off in the fourth delivery itself when Gayle was caught behind by MSD and sent back by Ashwin for a duck. Ashwin then returned in the third over to claim Mayank Agarwal's wicket, thus dismissing both openers. Ashwin finally clinched the wicket of Daniel Vettori to end with 3/16 in his four.
His economic spell helped CSK lift the trophy that year and become the first team to win two titles in two consecutive years.
#2 2/30 & 33(21) - KXIP vs RCB in IPL 2018
In 2018 Ashwin was a part of the Punjab camp and bowled a great spell in the 8th match of the season when they faced RCB. RCB had put Punjab into bat and opener KL Rahul got them off to a flying start.
While other batsmen started getting sent back one after the other, Ashwin stepped up with the bat this time and scored a quick 33 off 21 deliveries, including 3 boundaries and a maximum. Punjab put up a total of 155 on board.
RCB opener Quinton de Kock made a similar start and scored 45 off 34 but was dismissed by Ashwin. Later, Ashwin picked up the scalp of Sarfaraz Khan for a duck and ended with 2/30 in his four.
However, the RCB batsmen proved to be too strong for KXIP bowlers and they won by 4 wickets. Punjab may have lost that game but Ashwin’s all-round performance stood out.
#3 1/18 - DC vs RCB in IPL 2020
In the 55th clash of IPL 2020, when Delhi Capitals met RCB, the former won the toss and chose to bowl first. While RCB's Devdutt Padikkal put up a great half-century and partnered with skipper Virat Kohli, the momentum was flowing for Bangalore.
When there was a desperate need for a wicket for the Capitals, Ashwin came to the rescue. Kohli charged down the track in the 13th over and got the timing but couldn't find the elevation off Ashwin's bowling. Marcus Stoinis held onto a good catch at deep mid-wicket and Ashwin got the prized scalp of skipper Virat Kohli for the first time in the IPL.
Ashwin's economic spell of 1/18 in his four, coupled with Anrich Nortje's 3/33 helped DC claim the match by 6 wickets.
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