"RCB require such a bowler" - Mohammad Kaif lauds Josh Hazlewood's match-winning spell in IPL 2022 match vs LSG

Mohammad Kaif reckons Josh Hazlewood's acquisition could go a long way towards helping the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) win their maiden IPL title and enter the list of IPL winners.

Hazlewood returned figures of 4/25 in last night's IPL 2022 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). His spell helped RCB restrict KL Rahul's side to a score of 163/8 to win the match by 18 runs.

While reviewing the match during a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif highlighted the importance of bowlers like Josh Hazlewood to RCB's title aspirations. He said:

"RCB require such a bowler, they have the batting. We have seen for years, they had Chris Gayle and AB de Villers, they have Virat Kohli but if they get the bowlers, then the path they have embarked on to win the IPL, it is possible."

The former RCB player had the following to say about Hazlewood's new-ball spell and his dismissals of Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis:

"You get dismissals like this (De Kock's) in Test matches, line and length with the bounce and he got out in the slips. He has got the intelligence now, he used the yorker to dismiss Stoinis, it was also a very big wicket because Stonis is a very good batter, he can finish the game. The first spell he bowled with the new ball, you will spend money to watch a spell like that."

Josh Hazlewood got De Kock to edge a catch to Glenn Maxwell at first slip to give RCB an early breakthrough. His dismissal of Stoinis proved to be the final nail in LSG's coffin.

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"We saw everything in his bowling" - Irfan Pathan on Josh Hazlewood's spell

Josh Hazlewood showed a lot of variety in his bowling [P/C: iplt20.com]

Irfan Pathan pointed out that Hazlewood's bowling was as instrumental in RCB's win as Faf du Plessis' knock. He elaborated:

"If someone won them the match after Faf du Plessis' knock, it was Hazlewood. He used the new ball very well, the way he dismissed Manish Pandey, the usage of lengths and the slower ones, the control on line and bluff, we saw everything in his bowling."

The former India all-rounder concluded by observing that Josh Hazlewood's bowling style rekindled memories of Glenn McGrath. Pathan explained:

"He always reminds us about Glenn McGrath, I say it repeatedly that he is that style of bowler. He is tall and uses his height. He is not a 145 kph bowler, he bowls around 135-138 but along with that the control and extra bounce. The slower ball he has started using with which he dismissed Ayush Badoni, I think all-in-all a perfect day."

Hazlewood dismissed De Kock and Manish Pandey in his first spell to give RCB the upper hand. He then returned to get rid of Ayush Badoni and Stoinis to all but end LSG's hopes of a win.