IPL 2019: RCB win as AB delivers

Royal Challengers Bangalore's AB de Villiers slams one to the fence against Kings XI Punjab at the Chinnaswamy Stadium yesterday. Pic/AFP

At the halfway stage of either innings it was visitors Kings XI Punjab who looked well on top of the game. But the final overs flourish provided by AB de Villiers in partnership with Marcus Stoinis, with as many as 64 runs coming off the last three overs, proved to be the deciding factor as RCB recorded a 17-run win at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on last night.

RCB, who recovered from 84 for 4 at the end of the 10th over to post 202 for 4, survived quite a scare first from KL Rahul (42, 27b, 7x4, 2x6) and then Nicolas Pooran, who celebrated his inclusion in the West Indies World Cup squad with a belligerent (46, 28b, 1x4, 5x6) before falling to a great catch by who else but De Villiers when a further 27 was required.

Earlier, the RCB batting stint was as strange as it can get in a T20 match. It was played in three parts. If the first six Powerplay overs produced as many as 70 runs, mostly thanks to an enterprising 43 from the dependable Parthiv Patel (24b, 7x4, 2x6), the next 11 overs saw the addition of a mere 54 runs, with the two Ashwins in the Kings XI line-up holding sway over the proceedings.

The final three overs though was all RCB and no surprise that it was De Villiers who was in charge. The man who kept De Villiers (82 not out, 44b, 3x4, 7x6) company during the initial sedate period but later joined the mayhem with big hits of his own was Stoinis (46 not out, 34b, 2x4, 3x6).

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The fifth wicket pair added an unbroken 121 from a mere 66 balls. The best was reserved for the final over, bowled by Hardus Vijloen, three sixes, two of them by Stoinis, and two fours resulting in 27 runs in all and taking RCB past 200.

Ankit Rajpoot was as expensive at the end as he was in the beginning while Mohd Shami too went for plenty in the end. The only bowler to hold his own, and in style at that was Punjab skipper R Ashwin, who started off by dismissing the dangerous Moeen Ali with a beauty that came in and surprised the left-hander. The offie ended with figures of 4-0-15-1, his final over, the 17th of the innings, going for just five. It didn't quite matter eventually.

Also Read: IPL 2019: It's a shame to be flying back soon, says RCB's Moeen Ali

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