Faf du Plessis was named Aakash Chopra’s most valuable player (MVP) in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL 2023 triumph over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Du Plessis hit 44 runs off 40 balls as RCB set a 127-run target for LSG after deciding to bat first in Lucknow on Monday, May 1. Their bowlers then cleaned out the home team for 108, allowing the visitors to win by 18 runs and move up to fifth place in the points standings.
Chopra named Du Plessis as the game’s standout performance in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel while reviewing the game:
“Who was the most valuable player? The bowlers do well in any case when it is a low-scoring match. Naveen-ul-Haq was absolutely outstanding. He picked up three wickets. Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra also picked up two wickets apiece. The rest of the spinners also picked up wickets.”
The former Indian opener added:
“Karn Sharma and Josh Hazlewood were also there from RCB. So overall the bowlers were on top. So my most valuable player is Faf du Plessis. This year’s Faf du Plessis is in a different league altogether – a league of his own.”
“The way he batted on such a pitch and for how long he batted”: Aakash Chopra
Faf du Plessis received praise from Aakash Chopra for delivering the goods on an unfamiliar track, explaining:
“A South African shouldn’t have scored runs on this pitch because even the Indians were struggling on a typical Indian pitch. The way he batted on such a pitch and for how long he batted, you are fantabulous Du Plessis. The Orange Cap is back on his head.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator said that the RCB skipper will win the Orange Cap if he plays the whole season, elaborating:
“Yashasvi Jaiswal had taken it and he has taken it back immediately in the next match. Whether it is Ee Sala Cup Namde or not, I feel the Orange Cap will remain on your head because if this guy remains fit throughout the season, he was even batting with injury, no one will be able to snatch the Orange Cap from him.”
Du Plessis has 466 runs in nine innings, with an exceptional average of 58.25 and a strike rate of 159.58. He has five fifties in IPL 2023 with 84 being his best figure.