IPL 2022, Qualifier 2 RR vs RCB, Stats Review: Jos Buttler’s feat, Mohammed Siraj’s unwanted record and other stats

Jos Buttler dashed all the dreams of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as he smashed yet another century, his fourth of this season, to take his Rajasthan Royals into their second final after the victorious inaugural 2008 campaign. Buttler remained unbeaten on 106 off just 60, which included ten fours and six maximums in the run-chase of 158 as RR won the Qualifier 2 match of IPL 2022 by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Earlier in the game, Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy bowled brilliantly with their spells of 3/22 and 3/23, respectively.

Skipper Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to field first as both the teams went into the game with an unchanged XI. Kohli’s poor season summed up as he managed to score just seven runs. Captain Faf du Plessis scored 25 but it was the centurion from the previous game, Rajat Patidar, who continued from where he left off. Patidar amassed 58 off 42 with four fours and three maximums while Glenn Maxwell mustered 24 off 13.

RCB’s lower order couldn’t do much as they were restricted to a total of just 157/8 in 20 overs thanks to some superb bowling from RR. Trent Boult delivered a tight spell of 1/28 in his four overs while R Ashwin finished with figures of 1/31. Chasing 158 to win, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal gave a quickfire start with his cameo of 21 off 13. Josh Hazlewood got his wicket but Buttler continued his golden form. He kept the scoreboard ticking with captain Samson scoring 23 off 21.

The Englishman Buttler brought up 800 runs in the tournament as he has now scored the third-most runs (824) in an IPL edition. RCB looked dejected on the field after his onslaught with him reaching his fourth century of the campaign to seal the ticket for the final for his side. RCB’s hopes for their maiden IPL title extend for one more season while RR will now square off against the new franchise Gujarat Titans in the mega final on May 29, 2022, at the same venue. For his breathtaking ton, Buttler won the Player of the Match award.

Meanwhile, here are some of the important stats and numbers from Qualifier 2 between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 2022:

 2 – Rajat Patidar became the second uncapped player to hit two 50-plus scores in the Playoffs in an IPL season. Venkatesh Iyer did the same last year.

195 –  Jos Buttler has now scored the second-most runs (195) by a batter in the Playoffs in an IPL edition. David Warner had slammed 190 runs in 2016.

4 – Buttler equaled Virat Kohli’s record of smashing four centuries in an IPL edition. Kohli had hit as many tons in the year 2016.

31 – Mohammed Siraj has now conceded the most sixes (31) in an IPL season. Wanindu Hasaranga is in the second spot for leaking 30 maximums this season itself.

824 – Buttler has now smashed the third-most runs (824) in an IPL edition. Kohli managed to score 973 in 2016 and David Warner 848 in the same year.

7 – Kohli has now recorded the most single-digit scores (7) in IPL 2022. Ten other players are joint-second with six such scores.

5 – Buttler is now also tied at the second position with Kohli for slamming most hundred (5) in the IPL. Chris Gayle tops the chart with six tons.

6 – Sanju Samson got dismissed against Wanindu Hasaranga for the sixth time in the T20s, which is the most he has been got out against a bowler. Yuzvendra Chahal and Shivam Mavi both have taken his wickets five times each.

3512 – Samson completed 3500 runs in the tournament.

67/1 – RR scripted their joint-highest score of 67/1 in the powerplay this campaign. They also scored 67/1 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 52 in Mumbai.

354 – Buttler also reached the landmark of 350 sixes in T20 cricket.

4 – Buttler is also tied with Kohli at the top for most centuries (4) in a T20 series. Kohli also had four in the 2016 IPL while Michael Klinger is in the second spot for his three hundred in the 2015 T20 Blast.

50 – Prasidh Krishna appeared in his 50^th IPL match.

150 – Virat Kohli grabbed his 150^th catch in T20 cricket.

26 – With 26 wickets, Wanindu Hasaranga is now tied with Chahal and Imran Tahir for most wickets by a spinner in a season. Chahal also has 26 in the ongoing edition while Tahir took as many in 2019.

6 – Buttler became the sixth player to hit a ton in the Playoffs in the league.

1 – For the first time, RCB failed to score 50 runs in the last five overs batting first in this campaign.

2 – Prasidh registered his joint-second best figures of 3/22 in T20 cricket.

2 – RR also recorded the second-highest score of 67/1 against RCB in the powerplay this season. PBKS smashed 83/1 in Match 60 in Mumbai.