Gayle, Kohli help RCB win in style
Virat Kohli’s warning to his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammates to pull up their socks did wonders as they thumped Gujarat Lions by 21 runs to pocket a crucial win in the Indian Premier League-10 at the SCA Stadium here on Tuesday night.
The win helped Royal Challengers Bangalore move up one position on the seventh position while Gujarat Lions slumped to the bottom of the points table.
Royal Challengers Bangalore finally got the start they have been wanting with their openers skipper Kohli (50-ball 64) and Chris Gayle (38-ball 77) put up an entertaining 122-run opening stand as they posted the highest total of IPL-10 with 213 for two in their 20 overs after being put into bat.
Kohli slammed his second half-century of the season while Gayle slammed his first half-century in 18 T20 innings. Gujarat Lions were restricted to 192 for seven with RCB’s Yuzvendra Chahal claiming 3/31.
MCCULLUM FIGHTS ON
Barring McCullum’s entertaining knock of 44-ball 72 (2x4s, 7x6s) and India U-19 World Cup captain Ishan Kishan’s 16-ball 39, who brought the equation down to 26 runs in the final over, there was hardly anything to cheer for Gujarat Lions’ fans after the batsmen’s abject surrender.
Dwayne Smith (1) and skipper Suresh Raina (8-ball 23) fell early which didn’t help Gujarat Lions’ cause.
McCullum along with Aaron Finch (19) forged a crucial 66-run third wicket partnership. McCullum brought up his half-century with a fine flat six off Pawan Negi.
With the run-rate skyrocketing to 13 runs per over, McCullum had to take more risk and eventually fell to Chahal after a simple catch to Adam Milne at midwicket. That virtually put an end to Gujarat Lions’ hopes as well. RCB explode after Powerplay It is generally the Powerplay overs where the batting team look to take maximum risk. Royal Challengers Bangalore managed only 45 runs off the first six overs before exploding.
Gayle, making a comeback into the playing XI after Royal Challengers Bangalore’s overseas players AB de Villiers and Samuel Badree were out with injuries, freed up after finally achieving the landmark 10,000run in T20s with a single to the third man.
In an over where Gayle cracked two consecutive boundaries and sixes to take 21 runs off, Jadeja could have had the last laugh had Gujarat Lions’ Brendon McCullum’s hat not touched the rope while taking an acrobatic single-handed catch at long off fence.
While Gayle went hammer and tongs from one end, Kohli took the role to anchor the innings.
Gujarat Lions had the chance to tighten the noose on Royal Challengers Bangalore’s runs spree after dismissing Gayle (out LBW off Basil Thumpi) and Kohli (caught by Dwayne Smith at midwicket off Dhawal Kulkarni) before death overs.
KOHLI SLAMMED HIS SECOND HALFCENTURY OF THE SEASON WHILE GAYLE SLAMMED HIS FIRST HALFCENTURY IN 18 T20 INNINGS. GUJARAT LIONS WERE RESTRICTED TO 192 FOR SEVEN WITH RCB’S CHAHAL CLAIMING 3/31