Unbeaten knocks from Kohli (62) and AB de Villiers (47) ensure Royal Challengers Bangalore chase Rajasthan's 130/9 with nine wickets to spare
Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Rajasthan Royals by nine wickets in their Indian Premier League match at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera on Friday.
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RCB skipper Virat Kohli en route his 62 not out against Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad yesterday. Pics/Nirav Trivedi
Led by Australia’s Mitchell Starc, Royal Challengers Bangalore dished out a disciplined bowling performance to first restrict Rajasthan Royals to a modest 130-9 in their Indian Premier League match on Friday.
RCB’s Mitchell Starc was adjudged Man of the match for his 3-22
Gayle fails
They then chased down the target losing the lone wicket of opener Chris Gayle for 20. His batting partner Virat Kohli and No 3 batsman AB de Villiers were inspirational with unbeaten knocks of 62 (off 46 balls) and 47 (off 34) respectively. Kohli’s knock was studded with one four and three sixes, while AB hammered six fours as the duo chased down the total with minimum fuss and 23 balls remaining.
Fast bowler Starc, who was named player of the World Cup, snapped three wickets, spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel took two each while left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla scalped one at Sardar Patel Stadium after skipper Virat Kohli elected to field.
Put into bat, Ajinkya Rahane (18) and Shane Watson (26) gave Rajasthan a flying start as the duo amassed 36 in 5 overs before the former was trapped in front of wicket by Patel.
Rahane departs early
Rahane hit two boundaries and a six in his 12-ball innings, while Watson blasted four fours and a six before his attempt to score another six off Chahal ended with a simple catch at the fence by Starc.
New man Karun Nair (16) blasted a six before his 14-ball stay was cut short by a bullet throw from the boundary line by Patel with Kohli doing the needful as Rajasthan slipped to 72 for three. Deepak Hooda (1) too was cleaned up by Abdulla in the 12th over when he tried to play a slog shot off a straight delivery.
Sanju Samson (4) too followed suit, paying the price for another irresponsible slog-sweep as Yuzvendra Chahal disturbed his stumps. Smith and Stuart Binny then brought up the 100 in the 15th over. The duo tried to up the tempo and picked up a four each but Starc returned and struck twice to sent the duo back to the hut as RR were reduced to 121-7.
Brief scores
Rajasthan Royals: 130-9 in 20 overs (S Smith 31, S Watson 26; M Starc 3-22) lost to Royal Challengers B’lore: 134-1 in 16.1 overs (V Kohli 62*, AB de Villiers 47*; S Watson 1-23) by nine wickets
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