Bengaluru: It was cold, grey and the predicted rain failed to show up. It was one of those days which held no hope or promise for beleaguered Royal Challengers Bangalore. Their loyal red brigade packed the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday night, but went home aghast as the home team’s star-studded batting line-up crumbled into dust. In stark contrast another bunch, also draped in red and marshalled by Preity Zinta celebrated through the lop-sided contest.
Up against the might of table toppers Kings XI Punjab, the home team huffed and puffed, but managed 166 for 9 in 20 over. For the record, chasing a highly competitive 198 for 8, Virat Kohli and his lacklustre boys slumped to a 32-run defeat The men who made the victory seem like child play for the visiting team were young pacers Sandeep Sharma (3/17) and Shivam Sharma (2/26), who made a memorable debut.
On May 14 last year, Punjab had hadn’t RCB their only home defeat of the season in a close chase, but on the night, there was nothing in RCB’s performance which could have titled the scales in their favour. Into their third over of the innings Sandeep dealt a double blow to the home side, sending back Chris Gayle (4) and Virat Kohli (0) in success balls. From then on, RCB only delayed the inevitable.
Scoreboard
Kings XI Punjab: V. Sehwag c Kohli b Chahal 30, Mandeep Singh c Morkel b H. Patel 21, G. Maxwell c Starc b Chahal 25, D. Miller c Chahal b Aaron 66, G. Bailey c PA Patel b Morkel 1, W. Saha c de Villiers b H. Patel 17, M. Johnson (not out) 16, A. Patel b Starc 2, Shivam Sharma b Starc 4, L. Balaji (not out) 1. Extras (lb 2, w 11, nb 2) 15. Total (for eight wickets in 20 overs) 198.
FoW: 1-60, 2-68, 3-93, 4-116, 5-170, 6-184, 7-189, 8-193.
Bowling: Starc 4-0-43-2, Morkel 4-0-20-1, Aaron 4-0-35-1, Patel 3-0-56-2, Chahal 4-0-23-2, Yuvraj 1-0-19-0.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: C. Gayle c Saha b Sandeep Sharma 4, P. Patel c Mandeep Singh b Sandeep Sharma 13, V. Kohli c Saha b Sandeep Sharma 0, S. Rana b Patel 18, AB. de Villiers c Patel b Balaji 53, Y. Singh c Sehwag b Shivam Sharma 3, A. Morkel c Bailey b Shivam Sharma 16, M. Starc c Miller b Balaji 29, H. Patel c Saha b Johnson 6, V. Aaron (not out) 7, Y. Chahal (not out) 0. Extras (lb-1, w-4, nb-1) 6. Total (for nine wickets in 20 overs) 166.
FoW: 1-8, 2-8, 3-26, 4-39, 5-50, 6-76, 7-125, 8-133, 9-153.
Bowling: Sandeep Sharma 4-0-250, Mitchell Johnson 4-0-25-1, Laxmipathy Balaji 3-0-43-2, Akshar Patel 4-0-22-1, Shivam Sharma 4-0-26-2, Glenn Maxwell 1-0-24-0.
