IPL 2022 Points Table, Orange Cap, and Purple Cap: RCB back in top 4, Faf du Plessis makes gains - Updated after Match 49

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) returned to winning ways in IPL 2022 in style, defeating defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 13 runs in Pune on Wednesday, 4 May.

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl. But the Chennai bowlers failed to make the best of their luck, conceding 173-8, at least 10-15 runs above par on the turning Pune track.

Openers Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli contributed 30s, although with contrasting strike rates. Mahipal Lomror then emerged as an unexpected hero, scoring 42 off 27 and displaying some clean striking against the Super Kings' spinners. Dinesh Karthik extended his purple patch with a 17-ball 26* at the end of the innings.

In reply, CSK Kings looked comfortable after romping to 51 runs without any loss of wickets in the powerplay. But the Royal Challengers pulled it back in the middle overs. The spin trio of Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasarnaga and Shahbaz Ahmed broke the back of the chase before Harshal Patel and Jos Hazlewood combined to keep Dhoni and Co. down to 160-8.

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IPL 2022 updated points table

Following the win, the Royal Challengers once again staked their claim for the qualifier spots. They jumped from No. 6 to enter the top four after a long gap. After 11 matches, they have six wins and will now aim to win all three of their remaining matches to secure direct qualification.

Their net run rate (NRR) of -0.444 is worrying to say the least, and if they lose one or two of their remaining matches, it could prove decisive and perhaps even heartbreaking.

The Super Kings, meanwhile, only made their top-four chances bleaker with the loss. They stayed put in ninth spot with six points from 10 games. Even if they win all their remaining four matches, that'll take them to 14 points, and they will still have to depend on multiple uncontrollables to get an entry into the playoffs. The only factor they can control now is their NRR. To elevate it from -0.431, the four wins will have to come with massive margins.

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IPL 2022 Orange Cap list updated

Faf du Plessis bears Royal Challengers' torch on the IPL 2022 Orange Cap table. (PC: IPLT20.com).

Du Plessis, who has held his IPL team's torch in the IPL Orange Cap 2022 race since the start of the season, returned to the top 10 on Wednesday. He now has 316 runs from 11 matches and sits at No. 6, seven runs ahead of Gujarat Titans skipper (GT) Hardik Pandya, who has played two fewer games. The South African's average of 28.73 is the lowest among the top 10.

The Super Kings don't have any batters in the top 10. Their top run-scorer is Ruturaj Gaikwad, who had a poor start but has quickly rushed to 265 runs. He ranks at No. 16, 29 runs short of the current 10th ranked batter, Quinton de Kock (Lucknow Super Giants). Rajasthan Royals' (RR) Jos Buttler remains on top of the pile with 588 runs from 10 games.

Check out the most six in IPL here.

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IPL 2022 Purple Cap list updated

Wanindu Hasaranga jumps to N0. 5 in IPL 2022 Purple Cap table.

Hasaranga's lone wicket kept him going in the IPL 2022 Purple Cap race. He was placed at No. 7 before the match but gained two spots to enter the top five, the third leg-spinner to do so. The Sri Lankan has 16 wickets to his name from 11 games and is behind three bowlers with 17 wickets and RR's Yuzvendra Chahal with 19.

Purple Cap defending champion and Hasranga's teammate Harshal won the Player of the Match award for his superb spell of 3-35 and entered the top 10. He has 13 wickets from 10 matches at an average of 22.76 and is ranked 10th.

Super Kings all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who hasn't played in the last two matches due to injury, remained at No. 9. He is CSK's highest-ranked bowler with 14 wickets from eight games.