"Thank you CSK for not retaining Faf du Plessis" - Fans erupt as RCB captain continues his dream batting form with another match-winning knock vs SRH 

Faf du Plessis received immense love from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans online after he hit yet another half-century in a crucial fixture.

RCB managed to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets on Thursday, May 18, in Hyderabad. They have strengthened their playoff chances with this result, and will likely go through if they win one more match.

SRH batted first in the contest after losing the toss. Heinrich Klaasen (104) smashed a scintillating century and powered the home team to 186/5.

It looked like a challenging target as the spinners were gripping and turning a few balls in the first innings. However, the RCB openers played match-defining knocks to get home at a canter.

Virat Kohli struck a 61-ball century, while Faf du Plessis (71 off 47 balls) smashed a fluent half-century to help their side cruise towards victory. Du Plessis now has 702 runs from 13 matches this season at an average of 58.50, including eight half-centuries. He is leading the run charts.

Fans online are impressed with Faf du Plessis' consistent performances in IPL 2023, and many heaped lavish praise on him on Twitter.

Here are some of the reactions:

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We did feel like it was a very good wicket and 200 was a par score: RCB skipper Faf du Plessis

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Faf du Plessis claimed that the surface was good for batting and that 200 was a par score on it. The RCB captain also praised Heinrich Klaasen for his blazing century in the first innings.

Du Plessis further stated they wanted to play positively from the onset after witnessing the absence of swing in the first innings.

"Amazing chase, isn't it? We did feel like it was a very good wicket and 200 was a par score," he said. "Klaasen obviously played unbelievably but there wasn't a lot of balls that swung. So, we wanted to come out and play positively. We've been doing the right things. We've been clinical with the bat and ball in the last two games."

When asked about his incredible partnership with Virat Kohli in IPL 2023, Faf du Plessis said:

"We complement each other really well. We obviously play in very different areas, and there's good chemistry between the two of us. It's just about sticking to the momentum. It felt like we had the right resources to deal with the conditions and we're looking forward to go back to the Chinnaswamy where there will be a lot of support for us in a must-win game."

RCB next face Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 21 in Bangalore, in what will be the last match of the league phase.