Royal Challengers Bangalore beat table toppers Rajasthan Royals by four wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The game was slowly slipping from RCB’s hands after they were 87/5 in 12.3 overs, with the target of 169 looking unachievable. Dinesh Karthik stepped up yet again, and along with Shahbaz Ahmed, chased it down in some style.

IPL 2022: Full Coverage

Dinesh Karthik was unbeaten, scoring 44 runs from 23 deliveries that included 7 fours and a six, while Shahbaz Ahmed got 45 from 26, smashing 4 fours and 3 sixes. Ahmed was dismissed by Trent Boult at 154/6 in 17.5 overs, RCB had scored a whopping 67 runs in 5.2 overs.

Shahbaz Ahmed said to the broadcasters after the game how easy it was as Dinesh Karthik turned the game around in RCB’s favour.

“This is my third season, and it’s been a while I’m playing. Today, the situation was tough since the momentum was with RR. DK turned the momentum around in our favour, and I found it easy to play with him.”

Shahbaz said that he hoped to bowl for Royal Challengers Bangalore, as he was preparing for the future.

“It depends on the situation at the time. A lot of teams have left-handed batsmen, and the captain prefers to bowl leg-spinners against them. I hope I get to bowl in the upcoming matches. In terms of batting, I will play where my position is in the pecking order, so I’m preparing for the future.”

Dinesh Karthik is the one to beat this season, as he’s not been out since the beginning of the tournament, playing an instrumental role in the last two wins for RCB. Shahbaz said that his role depends on the situation of the match, giving credit to Dinesh Karthik for his good performance against Rajasthan Royals.

“My role in the team depends on the situation of the match. Like today, we were two three wickets down, and I found it easy to play with DK, I didn’t have to think too much, just play with him. He turned the momentum around in our favour. He’s very experienced, and made me understand how to play in the centre, and which bowler to play. That’s why we performed well in the game.”

RCB bowler Harshal Patel took the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal (76/2, )and was the least expensive of the RCB lot, giving away just 18 runs off his 4 overs, with an economy rate of 4.5. Shahbaz Ahmed was all praise for bowler Harshal Patel, saying that his slow ball control is the best in the world.

“Jos Buttler and Shimron Hetmyer batted really well, and Harshal Patel is effective against left-handed batsmen. We wanted to dismiss him, so that we could save runs in the last two overs, but it didn’t happen. The way he (Harshal Patel) bowls. it’s very difficult to score against him, no matter what the conditions of the pitch. His control on the slower ball is best in the world.”