IPL 2022 Points Table, Orange Cap, and Purple Cap: Faf du Plessis, Wanindu Hasranaga in top 5 - Updated after Match 39
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) stumbled to a second consecutive defeat in IPL 2022, losing to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 29 runs on Tuesday.
Bowlers from both sides made hay of sticky and bouncy conditions at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. RCB pacers hunted in packs in the first innings as RR looked down and out at 110-7 after 17 overs. But young all-rounder Riyan Parag's statement-making half-century, a 56 off 31 balls, lifted Rajasthan to a respectable 144-8 in 20 overs.
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RCB had the batting to chase it down easily but RR's bowlers once again stamped their authority as one of the best bowling attacks in the league. No Bangalore batter except skipper Faf du Plessis managed to cross the 20-run mark. Kuldeep Sen (4/20) emerged as the wrecker-in-chief as RCB were bundled out for 115.
IPL 2022 Updated points table
Already leading the Orange and Purple Cap rankings, the Royals have once again moved to the top of the IPL 2022 points table. With six wins from eight games, they are one of only two IPL teams (alongside Gujarat Titans who have played one match less) with 12 points in the bag. Two more wins in their next six games will see them finish in the top four. Their net run rate (NRR) has also soared to a brilliant 0.561.
RCB, meanwhile, maintained their fifth spot, but their NRR took a major hit, slipping from -0.472 to -0.572. They still need three wins from five games to reach the playoffs without depending on other results. It won't be easy unless they sort out their batting issues.
IPL 2022 Orange Cap list updated
RR wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler got his lowest score of the season on Tuesday - eight off nine balls - but that didn't affect his IPL Orange Cap contention one bit. He leads the chart with 499 runs - 131 clear of second-placed KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants).
Du Plessis continues to lead the run-scoring chart for RCB. Although he scored only 23, it was enough to help him move from No. 6 into the top five. He has 278 runs from nine matches, six ahead of Mumbai Indians' Tilak Varma, who has played eight matches.
Check out the full IPL teams owner here.
IPL 2022 Purple Cap list updated
Like Buttler, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal remained head and shoulders ahead of his peers in the IPL Purple Cap 2022 race despite going wicketless against his former team. He has 18 wickets from eight games at a stunning average of 12.61.
Hasaranga gets Samson and Hetmyer - game changer.
His replacement at RCB, Wanindu Hasaranga, has been trying to match him. The Sri Lankan picked up two crucial wickets and came on par with Delhi Capitals' Kuldeep Yadav for 13 wickets. However, his superior economy rate of 8.16 nudged him into the top five, pushing the left-arm wrist-spinner, whose economy rate is 8.47, to No. 6.
Hasaranga's teammate Josh Hazlewood also picked up a double, jumping to the ninth spot with a total of 10 wickets from five games.