The clinical Royal Challengers Bangalore made it three wins out of three and moved back to the top of the table with a 38-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
Amassing 204 for four after electing to bat — the rejuvenated Glenn Maxwell made a responsible 49-ball 78 and the gifted AB de Villiers remained unbeaten with an electrifying 34-ball unbeaten 76 — the RCB bowlers, operating with precision, cut all escape routes for KKR.
In the death overs, the impressive Kyle Jamieson castled Shakib Al Hasan and found the edge of Pat Cummins’ bat.
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The contest was effectively over when an inspired Mohammed Siraj conceded just one run to Andre Russell in the 19th over. With KKR needing a near-impossible 43 off the final over, Harshal Patel cleaned up Russell.
For KKR, starts were frittered away under scoreboard pressure.
The pitch at the Chepauk, for the day game, was better for stroke-play. The ball, not holding up, was travelling quicker to the bat.
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Earlier, the transformed Maxwell, balanced and employing his feet, both forward and back, held centre-stage. He has added solidity to flair and flamboyance.
But then, RCB’s massive total – after the side lost Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar in the game’s second over bowled by Varun Chakravarthy – also required a brutal onslaught from the rampant de Villiers.
The explosive South African picked the length quickly, got into positions early, and with nifty footwork, hit boundaries and sixes for fun.
de Villiers has unique gifts as a batsman, and when in form, the quality of bowling does not matter. Gaps are pierced with a surgeon’s precision; boundaries are cleared with ease and fielders are chasing leather.
Before de Villiers’ onslaught, it was Maxwell who held the innings together.
Technically improved, Maxwell is getting on to the front foot and driving with his left elbow leading the way and he also travelled back for cuts and pulls.
Of course, he hasn’t compromised on his extraordinary shots such as the tennis-ball like slash off Cummins to the cover fence and the switch hit six off Varun over deep-point.
After Kohli perished to a spectacular catch from Rahul Tripathi, running with his back to the ball from cover, and Patidar was done in by a googly, Maxwell, resurrected the innings with responsibility and enterprise.
It was a maximum display by Maxwell and RCB.
Scoreboard
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli c Tripathi b Varun 5; Devdutt Padikkal c Tripathi b Prasidh Krishna 25; Rajat Patidar b Varun 1; Glenn Maxwell c Harbhajan b Cummins 78; AB de Villiers not out 76; Kyle Jamieson not out 11. Extras: (NB-3, W-5) 8
Total: (for 4 wickets in 20 overs) 204
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-9, 3-95, 4-148
Kolkata Knight Riders bowling: Harbhajan Singh 4-0-38-0, Varun Chakravarthy 4-0-39-2, Shakib Al Hasan 2-0-24-0, Pat Cummins 4-0-34-1, Prasidh Krishna 4-0-31-1, Andre Russell 2-0-38-0.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Nitish Rana c Padikkal b Chahal 18 Shubman Gill c sub (DT Christian) b Jamieson 21 Rahul Tripathi c Mohammed Siraj b Washington Sundar 25 Eoin Morgan c Kohli b Patel 29 Dinesh Karthik lbw b Chahal 2 Shakib Al Hasan b Jamieson 26 Andre Russell b Patel 31 Pat Cummins c de Villiers b Jamieson 6 Harbhajan Singh not out 2 Varun Chakravarthy not out 2
Extras: (W-4) 4
Total: (for 8 wickets in 20 overs) 166
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-57, 3-66, 4-74, 5-114, 6-155, 7-161, 8-162
Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Mohammed Siraj 3-0-17 -0, Kyle Jamieson 3-0-41-3, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-34-2, Washington Sundar 4-0-33-1, Glenn Maxwell 2-0-24-0, Harshal Patel 4-0-17-2