Royal Challengers Bangalore’s bid to reclaim its fortress — Chinnaswamy Stadium — seemed well placed atleast at the dinner break. The host posted 200 for seven against Rajasthan Royals and may have fancied its chances of registering its first home victory this season.
But, the weather gods deemed otherwise. Summer showers cascaded down, remained heavy and persistent, and a key Indian Premier League game was swept under a wet blanket.
Both teams had to rest content with one point each here on Wednesday.
Much before cumulus clouds descended upon the venue, the fans had enough reasons to cheer as RCB coped well with the early dismissals of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli, and found sustenance and sizzling runs through a champion and a rookie. Both A.B. de Villiers and Sarfaraz Khan played a huge role in RCB setting a steep target for the visitors after Shane Watson won the toss and opted to field.
And while it rained in the suburbs, the central business district stayed dry through the RCB innings.
However, such small mercies didn’t last long as the skies opened up at the intermission. But well before that wet interlude, Gayle instantaneously got down to business and whacked a four and six off Tim Southee.
In the same first over, the big-built opener squandered his momentum and holed out to the fielder near the square-leg umpire. The host was soon left in a worried state as Kohli fatally dallied outside the off-stump against Southee and RCB was 19 for two in 2.2 overs.
Enter de Villiers (57), and immediately all seemed well with the world.
The South African’s mix of aggression and sharp running was the balm that RCB needed, and he found an ally in Mandeep Singh. The duo added 74 off 54 deliveries as the third-wicket partnership steadied RCB and also laid the base for the final assault.
Starting with a spanked four off Dhawal Kulkarni, de Villiers threaded another through a packed off-side that had four fielders within his gaze.
He then struck three consecutive fours off James Faulkner before turning his attention to Pravin Tambe. The spinner was slog-swept and punched and just as RCB seemed set to soar, Shane Watson and Stuart Binny bowled tight and the latter also dismissed Mandeep.
de Villiers, though, continued his merry ways, hoisting Binny for a six to reach his fifty and Dinesh Karthik joined the act, dismissing the seamer down the ground and over short fine-leg.
A mix-up left a hesitant de Villiers scrambling for the crease, but his run-out did not affect the scoring rate as Sarfaraz (45 n.o.) dished out a sparkling knock.
The 17-year-old upper cut Faulkner and Watson, slammed Tambe, punished Kulkarni and while Karthik got run out, Sarfaraz ensured that RCB finished with 200, an apt progression from the 83 for two in 10 overs, and then Bengaluru’s fickle weather had the last word.
